You Don't Know Me
by missingJane
Summary: Jane has been busy outside of the CBI, arriving late and leaving early, annoying Lisbon and the team with his unexplained absences. When a heinous crime points to him, he will have to rely on the help of his friends to prove his innocence, if they can. Now Complete.
1. Are You A Team Player?

Jane has been busy outside of the CBI, arriving late and leaving early, annoying Lisbon and the team with his unexplained absences. When a heinous crime points to him, he will have to rely on the help of his friends at the CBI to help him prove his innocence, if they can.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 1

Are You A Team Player?

"Lisbon! I'm done here!" Jane called, trying to catch his attractive partners' attention as she spoke to some police officers guarding their latest crime scene from gawkers. She turned to acknowledge his announcement with annoyance. He _could_ stick around a bit longer and maybe see something more that she and everyone else had missed, but he was eager to leave. His first cursory examination of the body had produced the usual nuggets of information that only he could discern from the scent of the man's cologne, his silver tie clip, his bespoke suit and the mud on the sides of his shoes. He had concluded that the man was a banker, a mover and shaker who went to the best schools, socialized with the elite and for whom money was no object. He got this from the clues his victim offered up: his suit was very expensive and custom made, so someone who lived and worked in the upper echelons of society and business; his cologne a conservative but costly brand, the purpose being to be subtle but memorable; the silver tie slide was engraved with a personal monogram on the front denoting a large ego, and on the underside of the slide, the crest of a very exclusive private college; his shoes were clean on the tops and bottoms but muddy on the sides, hence, the body had been dragged and dropped in this area from somewhere else.

Jane knew that eventually the cops would have deduced all of this on their own, but time was of the essence and he could shorten the investigation by just coming out with his conclusions and then moving on. Honestly, if people would just look at what was in front of them, they would not have to slog so much in their jobs.

"Lisbon, I'll meet you back at the office in a few…. Talk to you then…" he called, waving back at her when she nodded her Ok. He had been busy these last few days, a personal project on his mind and little time to work on it. If he could steal an hour here or there he could accomplish his goal without arousing too much curiosity from his colleagues back at the CBI. While they lacked his abilities to see the clues staring them in the face, they weren't stupid. He wanted to get away without drawing attention to himself. What they and Lisbon didn't know didn't concern them, he smugly concluded.

Two hours later Jane strolled into the CBI and settled down on his couch for a nap, seemingly without a care in the world. Just as he was drifting off, he heard the small rapid footsteps that only could come from an angry Lisbon. Sure enough a moment later a foot came up and kicked the couch, rousing Jane from his snooze.

"Hello Lisbon, nice to see you too…' he grinned lazily.

"Where have you been? I thought you said you would be back here more than an hour ago!" she groused. "We have work to do and you just disappear for two hours? Not acceptable Jane!".

The curly headed consultant raised himself up onto one elbow and looked up into her angry face. Deciding to be apologetic rather than baiting her, he put on his best remorseful face and looked sincerely sorry.

"Sorry. Really, I meant to be back right away, but I got sidetracked and well, you know, one thing leads to another, and two hours are gone like that!" he said, snapping his fingers at her. "But here I am. What is so important that my nap has to be sacrificed?" he grinned, disarming Lisbon's anger as he knew it would. Whatever she wanted him to do actually could have waited till tomorrow, but she didn't want him to know that.

"We've got a name to work with now. Burton Neeley was the Executive Vice-President of the National Trust and Loan Company. We need to go and speak with the other bank directors and get a feel for Neeley's behaviour the last few days. See if anything odd shakes out. Come on, get up."

"Ok Ok… but be prepared for that bureaucratic bunch to circle the wagons and tell you everything was and is just fine and dandy. No one there is going to go out on a limb and challenge the very lucrative status quo" Jane warned as he got up from his couch and stretched dramatically. While it was terrible that a man was dead, Jane's sympathies were tempered by his dislike of the "suits" and their privileged lives.

"Just don't piss them off in the first five minutes and we might actually get something useful out of them. I mean it Jane!" Lisbon responded, noting his sarcastic grin as he ushered her out of the bullpen. Lisbon didn't hold out much hope of gaining any insight into the victim's colleagues, knowing full well Jane was right. The bankers would want to deflect any attention from themselves and make sure it looked like all was well within the confines of their ivory tower. But Jane would know which one of them was the weak link, and that is why she needed him to go with her. God, she could have been there and back again if only he had not disappeared for two hours. What the hell had he been doing? No use asking him, he wouldn't give her a straight answer unless it suited him.

The trip to the bank had gone pretty much the way both she and Jane expected. The senior executives of the bank had doubled down and put up a show of solidarity and security, trying to convince them that all was well, that the victim was a saint and that they all had loved and respected him. That elicited a snigger out of Jane, as it was most likely far from the truth. Jane had fun watching each Director beatify the deceased and express his outrage at the poor man's passing. They were good, Jane had to admit, but he knew it was all B.S. One by one Lisbon pressed them for details about the man and his job performance and asked if anyone knew of any enemies Mr. Neeley may have made. As if reading from a script, each Director expressed shock at the idea that their colleague could have made an enemy of someone capable of murder. Jane became fixated on the one man who declined to speak unless absolutely necessary. That man seemed to be the lowest man when it came to seniority and it was obvious he deferred to the other Directors in all ways. He kept looking at the door and his watch, a sheen of perspiration beading on his upper lip. He had remained mostly silent during the whole interview and didn't want to add anything to the conversation. He had something to hide and Jane zeroed in on him. Dismissing everyone except for this hapless bundle of nerves, Jane made short work of terrifying him and getting to the truth. The seemingly docile and sympathetic senior bankers were, as it turned out, a conniving bunch of opportunists, who wanted the victim out of the way so that a new senior partner amenable to their influence could be brought on board and swayed to their corrupt ways. The victim was a man of conscience and standing in their way, so they had hired a hitman to do away with him. It all fell apart because of the most junior and nervous partner now quivering in fear in front of Lisbon and Jane. Jane sighed with disgust at the outcome of the investigation, glad it had all wrapped up so quickly but dismayed at the level of evil disguised in suits and false civility in the bank tower.

"Call them all back in Jane and I'll phone Cho for back up. We'll take them all back to the CBI for further interrogation" Lisbon commanded, smiling weakly as Jane stood up and motioned for the disgruntled looking executives to file back into the boardroom. He proceeded to keep them busy, asking them inane questions that only infuriated them while he and Lisbon waited until Cho and a few more officers arrived to handcuff them all and transport them back to the office.

"Nice work by the way" she smiled as she and Jane headed back out into the bright sunshine outside the bank.

"My pleasure. If only every case was so easy" he suggested, glad to be done for the day. His couch beckoned.

As expected, once the bankers were separated and individually interrogated, they turned on each other and accusations were being flung at any and all of them, every man for himself, deals being made in hopes of reduced sentences. The hitman was named and as it turned out, easy to find as he was already on the CBI most wanted list. Now they had information that led to his arrest just outside Sacramento. All in all, it had been a highly productive day. Lisbon stayed late to file her paperwork and Jane cleared out of the office unusually early. Without much more than a 'see you in the morning' he was gone by 4pm. Lisbon thought it odd but then she was dealing with the king of all rule breakers, so why try to figure him out now?

Jane drove his Citroen out of the CBI parking lot and headed out of town, driving until he was almost at the city limits. Doffing his suit jacket in the heat, he loosened the buttons on his vest and drove up to his destination, a grin growing on his face. He would have hours ahead of him to do as he wished without interruption He turned off his cell phone so no one at work could reach him and he whistled softly as he entered a tired old building. It was going to be a good night.

A week later Jane was still taking his own sweet time getting to crime scenes without much in the way of excuses and Lisbon was just plain tired of it. It made her team look bad and her leadership was now being impacted. Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt said nothing but were miffed that Jane was blowing off his responsibilities while they had to play by the rules. Sooner or later it would all come to a head and one of them would finally complain to the Boss.

As the latest case dropped into their laps, Jane was not even in the office, having left soon after he arrived that morning. No excuse was given and upon calling him to get to the crime scene, Lisbon discovered his phone was switched off - again. Her anger hit the boiling point and she resolved that this was going to stop, today. Jane was still just as effective as ever every time he attended a murder, but getting him there and keeping him there was becoming more and more difficult. Either he was part of her team or he wasn't, there could be nothing half-assed about it.

About an hour after the case came in, Lisbon's cell rang in her pocket and she frowned when she saw Jane's face showing on the caller ID.

"Where the hell are you Jane? We have a case and you go AWOL?" she shouted.

"Sorry Lisbon, I didn't realize I had turned my phone off. Where are you? I can be there in no time!" he placated her.

"I doubt that. We need you to check out the body and speak to a couple of witnesses. Something isn't adding up and we could use your input". Lisbon gave Jane directions and was pleased to hear that he in fact would be there very soon. Whether he had really turned off his phone by accident was up for debate, but she could ream his butt out once they got back to her office. Whatever he was up to, it had to stop.

Jane arrived 15 minutes later and did his usual performance, sniffing the body and freaking out the local police. The assembled witnesses were still very emotional, much more than Jane felt was appropriate for people who supposedly did not know the victim. Someone was lying about his knowledge of the events leading up the murder. Time would reveal all and he tipped Lisbon off about his suspicions. An investigation over the next two days would indeed point to the involvement one of the witnesses and the case was resolved by the weekend. Score another case closed pizza for the team.

Lisbon called Jane into her office after the rest of the team went home, stomachs full of pizza and most of the paperwork done.

"What's up Lisbon? I would think you would want to see the back of me so late in the day" smiled Jane as he plumped up the cushions on the white sofa in Lisbon's office. Sitting down with a satisfied sigh, he crossed his legs and smiled placidly at his beautiful partner. He knew a lecture was coming, but he didn't care. They were old hat to him now and reassurances that he would smarten up, he figured he would be on his way.

Lisbon sat down at her desk and just stared at him. He smiled back at her. She was fuming and he knew it. She was so cute when she was mad. Her freckles just popped when her complexion grew rosier with anger and he was admiring the view. Drumming her fingers on the desktop, Lisbon gathered her thoughts, trying to avoid lashing out at him in frustration. She knew he could play her like a fiddle, so she had to choose her words carefully.

"What's going on with you?" she finally spoke, as calmly as possible.

"With me, ahhh, nothing. But thanks for asking. And how are you Lisbon?" he replied, grinning a megawatt smile.

"Jane, stop it. You know perfectly well that you are up to something. Whatever you do outside of work is your business, and I really do try to stay out of your personal affairs."

"And I am grateful for that" said Jane earnestly, cutting her off.

"But whatever you're up to now is impacting our work here. You leave early, come in late, arrive late to crime scenes, turn off your phone during the day. You are putting in the least amount of effort without actually quitting work. What's going on?" she said, listing her issues with him.

Jane re-crossed his legs unconsciously and folded his arms across his chest, classic signs of self-protection. Lisbon noticed.

"I have been busy with personal matters unrelated to work and I'm sorry that my phone was accidentally switched off, just that once. But we get the work done and we are still catching the bad guys Lisbon. I won't be busy for much longer. Almost done and then I will be my usual paragon of virtue, the quintessential team player. The model of group think…" he bluffed, eliciting a strangled growl in Lisbon's throat.

"Jane! Enough! When were you ever the quintessential team player?"

As Jane started to reply, Lisbon cut him off in frustration. "Just wrap up whatever you're doing and get back to work with us. I need to be able to rely on you being there when I need you."

"And you shall. I will always be there for you Lisbon" Jane said with surprising sincerity. The straightforward way he stared at her when he said this made her heart lurch in her chest. 'How the hell does he do that?' she wondered. She knew he would always be there for her. Just like he once said he would always save her. But how he went about it was another matter.

Lisbon's shoulders dropped slightly and relaxed as she realized the lecture she had planned was now a moot point. He was being sincere, was trying to be truthful, without telling her what he had been up to. God only knew what that man did in his off hours.

"Ok. I believe you. We need your complete attention when you are out on a case. Anything less and it won't work" she warned him again.

"Got it. Glad we had this talk Lisbon. And by the way, you need to go home at some point and have a weekend too. Don't stay here chained to your desk for too long."

Jane stood up and made his way over to the door of her office.

"I mean it, go home and relax. See you Monday!" he said cheerfully and with that, he was gone.

Lisbon watched him walk away with a swagger that was typical Jane and couldn't refrain from letting a small grin spread across her face. That handsome man was irritating and would drive her to distraction but she couldn't imagine doing this job without him now. Looking at the clock, she decided to take his advice and pack it in for the day. Whatever forms needed to be filled in could wait until Monday. Maybe by then she would have her consultant back to work full time.


	2. Who Is It Honey?

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 2

Who Is It Honey?

As promised, first thing Monday morning Jane strolled into the office humming a tune that sounded slightly classical and he proceeded to head to the kitchen to make a cup of tea to begin his work day. Cho was already there making the first of many pots of coffee the staff would drain as the day progressed.

"Jane…" Cho said, nodding his greeting.

"Cho" smiled Jane as he reached for his blue teacup. Cho noticed Jane's knuckles were red and raw, and on his right hand, bandaged.

"Get into a fight at the tea shop on the weekend?" Cho deadpanned. Jane followed Cho's eyes to his knuckles and put his free hand into his pocket.

"Aahhh, something like that. You should see the other guy…" he mumbled, looking for a quick getaway.

"I bet.." said Cho, not concerned with how his team mate hurt himself, but sure it was due to something foolish he had become entangled with over the last 48 hours.

Jane made his way to his couch and put down his teacup before flopping down into the soft leather cushions with a sigh, as if the effort of just coming to work had worn him out completely. The rest of the team drifted in and got busy powering up their computers and making calls. Jane busied himself with reading a book about house construction and didn't notice the time passing until Lisbon came into the bullpen with a concerned look on her face. She made a beeline for Jane and knelt down next to him to speak, keeping her voice low.

"Morning Lisbon" he smiled, glad to be eye to eye with her.

"Morning". She cast her eyes uneasily around the bullpen and then turned her attention back to the smiling blonde man watching her. "I have something to ask of you Jane."

"I'm intrigued…. Ask away" he grinned.

"It's kind of an odd request" she mumbled.

"So mysterious so early in the day. Out with it Lisbon, what could be so unusual?" he asked, now truly interested.

"SAC PD brought in a young woman who claims she was abducted and abused. She claims she only just escaped."

Jane sat up straighter, fully engaged. "And this concerns me… why?"

Lisbon looked flustered and sat next to Jane. Looking around the room again, she turned back and raised her eyes to take in Jane's concerned face.

"The woman was able to give a very detailed description of the man to the police who found her and they want to do a lineup of suspects. Some of the men have previous histories of abductions or mistreating women." She looked at Jane sheepishly and was uncomfortable now.

"And? Go on Lisbon. Sounds like the police are well on their way to catching the creep. What's it got to do with us… with me?"

Lisbon looked at her partner and found the words hard to say.

"They want to do a lineup of suspects Jane" she told him.

"Yes, you said that already". Jane was getting concerned now by Lisbon's tone and then he looked up and noticed some officers from the SAC PD standing in the doorway. Turning his attention back to his partner and friend, he prodded her for more information.

"What? Please Lisbon, just say it, you'll feel better" he cajoled her.

"Jane, SAC PD wants you in the lineup too" she answered him quietly. Jane looked up as the two officers started to approach him warily across the room.

"Me? Why me? Lisbon, what's going on here?" Jane asked as the two beefy officers reached the couch and stood on either side of him.

"Jane, just go with these men and it will all be explained. I'm sure it's all a mistake and apologies will be given, but for now, you have to go with these officers".

Lisbon looked stricken as the officers pulled Jane unsteadily to his feet and took him by the arms and led him out of the room and down the hall.

"Lisbon! If this is payback for anything I have done, you win! This isn't funny!' he shouted. The expression on Jane's face was one of anger and shock. If she had planned this as a prank, she would have seen the real worry, real alarm on his face. He wasn't given another opportunity to talk and was marched quickly away from his team mates. Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt stood up from their desks and watched in amazement as their friend was taken away, a million questions running through their minds.

"Boss? What's going on?" asked Van Pelt, unable to stop herself. Lisbon came to her senses and started to run out of the room after the the SAC officers holding Jane.

"I don't know but it's a mistake. It's got to be a mistake!" she called over her shoulder before she disappeared around the corner.

Jane was taken to a small room where he was guarded by an armed police officer. Eventually a the door opened and another officer handed him a number to hang around his neck. He was now number four, not Patrick Jane, CBI Consultant. His brain was working overtime to figure out just what the hell was going on. If this was some kind of payback for his tardiness and unexplained absences, he would let Lisbon know that she had gone too far, entirely too far. Not only was this unnecessary, it was humiliating and he was fuming silently.

A few minutes later the door was yanked open again and Jane was led down the hallway between the two large polices officers who once again held his arms, as if he was going to try to escape.

"This isn't necessary guys. I work here, why the strong arm tactics?" he asked his two guards.

Where the hell was Lisbon? Turning a corner, Jane recognized the room ahead and realized that he was indeed heading for a lineup. Opening the door, the cop accompanying them shoved Jane in and Patrick found himself facing 4 other blonde, slim, well-built, relatively attractive men, all about his age. At the sight of them he relaxed. Ok, so there was something going on and apparently they needed to fill out the lineup with one more guy, just to make sure the terrified victim made the right identification. He remembered seeing Rigsby put into a lineup once to trip up the "victim" as she lied about her so-called perp. But Rigsby had been in on the hoax, and had been treated with respect as an officer of the law. Jane was already feeling criminalized. The men were told to line up according to their numbers. A moment later another door opened and they were told to walk out and stand on a small, well lit platform, facing a mirror. Jane knew that behind the mirror, the victim watched them with other officers and hopefully, Lisbon as well. Trying to relax and take in his situation, Jane stared straight ahead, studying the other men in the mirror. Was one of them the one who kidnapped the poor woman and terrorised her for a couple of weeks? Searching their faces he almost didn't hear his number being called out. Jerking himself to attention, he heard the cop tell him to step forward and look straight ahead. Feeling stupid, he did as he was told, hoping this whole embarrassing show was worth it, if it led to the capture of the real perpetrator.

"Step back Number 4! Number 5, step forward and look straight ahead!" the order was barked out. Jane stepped back and looked to his left at the man now being viewed. Was it him? Jane was in no fit state to make a judgement and wished he was on the other side of the glass. Perhaps Lisbon and the SAC PD would let him interrogate the suspected men to make his own evaluation once this charade was over with.

On the other side of the two way mirror, Carol, the slight, emotional victim, was waiting for the men to come in and was soon joined by Detective Carlson and Lisbon. Lisbon smiled slightly at the woman, and noticed how young and nervous she seemed. She clutched a large white man's handkerchief in her hand and stared straight ahead through the mirrored glass. When the suspects were ordered to enter the room, her hand came up and she tightly held the handkerchief to her nose while Lisbon and the other SAC PD cops watched as the men strode out onto the platform. Lisbon looked at the victim, so very young and vulnerable. She felt sorry for her and prayed that one of the men on the other side of the glass had slipped up and would soon be behind bars for a very long time. Hearing the girl take a sharp intake of breath, Lisbon hoped it meant that she had recognized the man who had so horribly mistreated her.

As each man was called forward, Carol leaned in and took a good long look at him, sometimes holding her handkerchief up to her face and sniffing loudly. She seemed equally afraid of all of them and Lisbon couldn't tell if one man stood out more than the next. When Jane was ordered to step forward, Carol put her handkerchief back up to her nose and kept it there, tears forming in her eyes and rolling heavily down her cheeks. Lisbon looked at Jane through the glass and felt revulsion at seeing him standing there with a number draped around his neck. God this was horrible. Why was he chosen to do this? It had to be just based on his blonde hair and good looks. He was a standout for sure. But a heads up from the SAC PD would have been proper procedure, and she would back Jane up when he demanded an apology from them for using him like this. Her consultant was very well known within the small, tight knit world of Calfornia law enforcement and this would be the perfect way for them to show their contempt for his so called "special" talents, and bring Lisbon down a few notches too. If that was behind this stunt, she would have someone's badge for it as payback.

The cop barked at the lineup of blonde men to turn and walk back out of the small room to the holding area. Although he couldn't see her, Jane flashed a tight smile at where he hoped Lisbon was standing, just to let her know he was Ok, so far. But on the other side of the glass, the cop standing beside the victim noticed and misinterpreted Jane's actions.

"Look at that sick bastard, smiling like the cat that ate the canary! Is that the guy honey?" he asked the young woman. She looked up at the cop and seemed too terrified to speak.

"You recognize the man who did this to you sweetie? Is that smiling asshole the guy who took you and messed around with you?" the cop asked eagerly, thrilled that maybe they had caught their perp so easily.

The young woman took one last look at the retreating form of Jane and man next to him as they passed through the doorway. Putting her hankie up to her nose and sniffing loudly, she stood quietly for a moment, fighting a losing battle to hold back tears, until she looked up at the large police officer.

"It was him" she said softly.

"Which man did you recognize? Did you recognize one of them well enough to be sure?" said Lisbon with alarm, not sure which way this was going.

The young woman turned to Lisbon, clutching her handkerchief to her watering eyes, and nodded solemnly.

"Yes. I'm sure. I'd know him anywhere, I see him in my nightmares".

"Tell us, which number was he wearing honey?" encouraged the cop. Lisbon felt light-headed. This was not happening, she had misheard the girl!

The young woman looked down at her shoes and sniffed as a large tear fell to the floor. Looking up, she squared her shoulders and felt confident enough to name her tormentor.

"It was number 4. The man wearing number 4 took me and hurt me. I would know him anywhere" she said with finality. "Can I go home now?" she begged a stunned Lisbon.


	3. Ex-Boy Toy

I want to thank everyone for their very kind reviews. Although I have not responded to every single one yet, I will! Here is the next chapter. I'll soon be busy with company so not sure how frequently I can write after this weekend. Hang in there. I don't like long breaks between chapters and I'm betting you don't either!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 3

Ex-Boy Toy

Jane was waiting in the small room and removed the hated number sign from around his neck, and was just about to toss it to the ground when the door opened and a large SAC police officer entered and singled him out.

"Put your hands behind your back Sir!" he commanded.

"You're arresting me?" said Jane, stunned that this little charade was going to the next level.

"Show me your hands Mr. Jane" said the cop, advancing on Jane, invading his personal space and intimidating him.

"On what charge? Where's Senior Agent Lisbon? She needs to speak to you. Enough is enough!" Jane reasoned with the cop. Pushing Jane up against the far wall the officer reached behind his back, and produced a pair of handcuffs. While Jane fought back against being manacled and held against his will, the cop proceeded to try to cuff him as two more cops came into the room to subdue their prisoner if he proved to be unruly. While struggling with their prisoner, the first cop began to read Jane his Miranda Rights.

"You have the right to remain silent...anything you say can and may be used against you in a court of law…"

"This isn't necessary… there's been a mistake."

"You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future."

'Stop resisting!" shouted one of the cops as Jane struggled to avoid the handcuffs.

"If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish" droned on the first officer.

"Get Senior Agent Lisbon in here right now!" demanded Jane, as the first handcuff snapped on his left wrist. He shoved his right hand behind his back to slow down the officers, hoping Lisbon would hear the commotion and demand they release her man.

"If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney."

'Stop resisting arrest and calm down!" shouted the second cop again.

'Wait just a minute until the Senior Agent gets here, and I won't resist!" shouted Jane, now totally hemmed in on all sides by very large sweating SAC PD officers.

"Do you understand your rights as I have explained them to you, and are you willing to answer questions without an attorney present?" finished the large cop in exasperation.

Jane refused to bring his right arm out from behind his back and fought as hard as he could against the cop pulling on his arm.

"Sir, do you understand your rights as I have explained them to you!" barked the officer.

"Yes! Now get Lisbon!" huffed Jane, still trying to slow down the arrest.

"If you continue to resist we will have to taser you!" yelled a cop to Jane's right. But before Jane could possibly comply with this new warning, the cop nodded to his colleague and a bright blue light and sizzling burst of electricity brought Jane to his knees. As he collapsed onto the floor, the officer put his knee into Jane's back and held him down. As the electricity crackled through Jane's body, any resistance was futile, as just breathing was effort enough. Feeling like an elephant was sitting on his chest, Jane lay mute as the officers stood over him, like hunters over fallen prey. When Jane could see straight again a few minutes later, he feebly asked for Lisbon again, unaware that she was being kept busy by Detective Carlson in another room so she could not intervene in Jane's arrest. Now that he was talking again, two cops lifted Jane to his feet and proceeded with their arrest. Jane protested as much as possible as the second tight cuff was snapped into place on his right wrist, painfully cutting his skin. The other suspects had already been led away to another room for further questioning but Jane was hauled off to an interrogation room where his hands were cuffed to the table. Sweat was beading on his forehead and he was shaking with rage and the after effects of being tased. He now realized that this was no prank as it had gone too far. When he was set free his retribution would be one for the history books. If Lisbon was in on this, he was not sure he would be able to forgive her. The door opened suddenly and he looked up, ready to demand answers for his rough treatment. A SAC PD officer came in and stood in the corner while a detective came in with a notepad in his hand.

"Mr. Jane, I'm Detective Robert Carlson, Sacramento Police Department. I'm sure you know by now why you're here" the cop began, taking a pencil out of his pocket to make notes.

"No Detective Carlson, I do not know why I am here," Jane fumed, realizing the seriousness of his situation. "Your men tased me".

"You resisted arrest, that's how it goes. My men had to defend themselves from harm" Det. Carlson explained, not seeing the irony of one man up against three.

"What's going on? Lisbon said you needed help in a line up and now I'm told I'm under arrest" said Jane, trying to sound calm and reasonable.

The detective paused in writing and looked Jane up and down. "Is that how you want to play this? After the girl identified you?" he asked.

Jane sat back, digesting this nugget of information.

"What girl?"

"What girl? What girl?" the detective mocked Jane. "The kidnap victim, the girl you took and abused for over two weeks in that abandoned building that you thought no one knew about, that girl…" Carlson replied.

A cold chill ran down Jane's spine at the mention of the building. What the hell was going on?

"Where's Lisbon? I want her here" demanded Jane, the first signs of panic in his voice.

"You don't get to make demands here Paddy. We do the asking, you do the answering. You should know the drill by now. Your boss has no jurisdiction here, this is a SAC PD case. Once we are finished up here you will be transported across town to one of our lovely jail cells, where you will remain until your arraignment, after which you will enjoy the company of your fellow prisoners at the Federal Prison in Harriston. Then you will be held over for your trial, however long that takes". The detective grinned like a cheshire cat, showing a line of crooked, tobacco stained teeth. "I must say, I never thought the famous Patrick Jane would fall so low. Got too big for your own britches didn't ya, finally. The man who knows everything finally went too far. Probably thought us dumb cops wouldn't find you or figure out who took the girl eh? Well she gave us a perfect description of you, even picked you out of a line of photos". The Detective leaned in closer to Jane conspiratorially. "I'll let you in on a little secret. This little line up was just a formality. We knew it was you hours ago". Straightening up again, he smoothed down his suit jacket and looked dismissively at his prisoner.

"Welcome to the dark side Mr. Jane. Say goodbye to your life as you knew it. It's over".

"I didn't do this. The girl is lying. Investigate the girl, not me!" Jane insisted.

"Oh that's rich. Investigate the victim and not the perp who she picked out of a lineup and out of a bunch of photos? Not gonna happen my friend. Why not drop all this B.S. and just admit what you did? Save us all a lot of time and hassle. Do your time and get it over with. You're going down anyway Mr. Jane, stop wasting my time. There is a prison cell with your name on it just waiting for you. You'll probably run into some of the folks you put there. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to have you as a bunk mate!" the detective laughed, enjoying the idea of the abuse Jane would suffer at the hands of those he had helped incarcerate.

"Do your job right and someone else will be in that cell, not me. I need a lawyer then you can ask me some questions! Find out what my story is! Do your job!" demanded a frustrated Jane.

Picking up his notebook, the detective stood up and leaned over the table, forcing Jane to lean back in his chair, Carlson's face inches from Jane's retreating form. "Thanks for the suggestion. We'll continue our little talk back on my home turf. See how you like it away from your friends' protection".

He walked around the table and roughly grabbed Jane's wrists and unlocked the chain holding his hands down on the table.

"You're listening to the wrong person. The girl is lying. I have never met her before!" Jane yelled as he was being manhandled.

"Save your little sob story for someone else. Who d'ya think I'm going to believe - you or the victim? She knows what you did and you can't talk your way out of this mess you made for yourself".

Yanking Jane up he opened the door and another SAC cop entered, both officers now taking Jane roughly by the forearms and dragging him out of the room. Jane could hear a commotion somewhere behind him but couldn't turn around to see what was going on. Just as they got to the end of the hall Lisbon ran breathlessly after them, calling for them to stop.

"Where do you think you're going with my partner?" she huffed.

"He ain't your boy toy anymore" smiled the detective. "He belongs to me and the SAC PD. Any complaints, take it up with my captain. Oh, and if you're real nice, I might let you visit this scumbag in jail when I'm done with him" he grinned, pulling Jane by the arm as they started to walk towards the elevators once again. Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt materialized and stood by Lisbon, utter shock registered on their faces. They had only just found out what was going on.

"Wait! There has to be some mistake! You have the wrong man! He has been here the whole time working with the team - working with me!" shouted Lisbon, keeping up with the larger men.

Turning around abruptly, the large detective loomed over the tiny woman. "Oh yeah? With you the whole time? Well maybe you got some explaining to do as well". Leering at her menacingly, he whispered, "we'll get to you later Agent Lisbon". The elevator doors dinged open and the SAC PD officers, and Detective Carlson pulled Jane forcefully inside. Jane called out to his team one last time.

"It's a setup! Find the guy! The right guy! And find me a lawyer!" Putting his cuffed hands out to stop the elevator doors from closing, he shouted one last thing.

"1325 King Crescent West, East Sacramento!" The SAC PD officers grabbed his hands and roughly dragged Jane away from the elevator doors, slamming him up against the back wall and surrounded him so that Jane was no longer visible to the circle of his worried CBI friends. The fact that a knee accidentally hit Jane in the crotch in the scrum doubling him over in pain, must have been a mistake.

Then the elevator doors slid shut and they were gone.


	4. You Look Good In Grey

I am no expert when it comes to the American judicial system or the way police departments work, so forgive me if I get this wrong. But between TV and the internet, I hope I am reasonably accurate.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 4

You Look Good In Grey

Lisbon and her team stood numbly by the elevator unable to move or think. What the hell had just happened? Rigsby was first to break the silence.

"This is bullshit!" he complained. "Complete bullshit…. Uh… Sorry Boss…"

Lisbon was roused out of her stunned lethargy and turned to Rigsby. "You're right, it is total bullshit. Jane just got railroaded".

"Why?" asked Cho, getting straight to the point.

"Payback for something SAC PD is pissed about?" suggested Van Pelt.

"Maybe… but what about the girl? She is a victim in all this. We need to speak to her" reasoned Lisbon. Looking up at the concerned faces of her loyal team, she snapped into action. "My office, now!" and she started to sprint to her private office space. When everyone was gathered around her desk, she began to brainstorm.

"So what do we know? We know a girl suddenly shows up at SAC PD and claims to be a kidnap victim, abused and tormented for two weeks. She is obviously still distraught...couldn't stop crying. We need to check her story out and speak to her friends, associates, see if they knew she was missing".

"I don't recall seeing a Missing Person report on her over the Police wire" said Grace. "Wouldn't we have been aware that she was missing, even here at the CBI?"

"Check that out and let me know what you find out. Cho, Rigsby, find out what house the SAC PD was talking about. Jane yelled out an address. Did anyone catch it?"

"Yes Boss, 1325 King Crescent West, East Sacramento. Do you think that's the house where the girl was held?" asked Van Pelt. "Why would Jane give us an address?'

"Jane told us because that address is important to his innocence. Find out everything you can about whatever is located there. Find the owner and speak to him or her. Perhaps Jane has been there at some point? We need to know where Jane has been lately and see if he can come up with an alibi that will hold up in court" said Lisbon. "I'll call a lawyer I know and get him over to SAC PD as soon as possible".

"Did you see his hands this morning?" asked Cho. "They were bruised and cut up, like he had hit his knuckles against something".

"You're not suggesting he beat that girl are you?" Van Pelt said with disgust.

"I'm saying it doesn't look good from the outside. Unless he can explain that away, it's another strike against Jane".

"Oh God, what next?" asked Lisbon, putting her face in her hands.

"His unexplained absences, late arrivals in the mornings, leaving early. If SAC PD gets ahold of that information it will be another nail in Jane's coffin" Cho said flatly.

Lisbon sat back in her chair and looked up at her anxious team. They would do anything she asked of them. She had no idea what was going on, but it all felt wrong, forced, hurried...planned.

"Jane needs us. Whatever it looks like, the truth is most likely the complete opposite. Jane is many things, but a kidnapper and woman hater? No, absolutely not. He would never hurt a woman - I'll bet my badge on it".

Van Pelt shook her head in silent agreement.

"So unless we want to see someone railroad Jane with the assistance of Detective Carlson, it will be up to us to find out just what is going on, and get him out of their jail ASAP. Are we all agreed on this?" Lisbon asked her team.

Cho looked at Rigsby and Van Pelt, a hard expression on his face. "I'm in".

"Me too" echoed Van Pelt.

"Of course, me too" agreed Rigsby.

Lisbon stood up, gratified by the people she worked with. "Thank you. Let's get to work and get Jane the hell home!" she said with finality.

Everyone cleared the room and got busy. Van Pelt hit the computer to find out anything she could about the address that Jane gave her. Rigsby and Cho started to dig up information about the victim and her associates. Lisbon called her lawyer friend and briefly explained Jane's situation. He assured her he would get over to the SAC PD jail and meet with Jane in the morning. Then she put her coat on and headed out. She just hoped she could get into the SAC Police Department and see where they had put Jane. She needed to get to him and find out how much he knew about the address and the girl. She just hoped his answers wouldn't destroy her faith in him.

Jane sat on the hard bench seat of the police prisoner transfer van, shackled to a large ring embedded in the floorboards. His wrists were cut and throbbing and his privates? Well they had not been kneed like that since he pissed off some older boys in his carnie years. The taser burn ached against his ribs. He had always wondered what that would feel like and now he knew. He hoped to never feel that kind of heart stopping jolt of electricity again. The cops were treating him like he had already been convicted of this crime. How had his day spun so out of control? He had no idea why he was picked out of a lineup of possible felons. And why did this victim choose his photo out of so many others? For that matter, how did his photo end up in the selection shown to her? Something was definitely fishy about this whole affair and he needed to get free and clear his suddenly blackened name. He looked at the guard sitting on the other side of the van, shotgun resting on his lap, his eyes never leaving Jane. He could try to hypnotize him, but if he failed it would just exacerbate his problems. Resigning himself to a long and tedious visit to the SAC PD for more useless questioning, Jane just hoped that Lisbon was busy checking up on the address he had shouted out to her, and more importantly, getting him lawyered up, the first step to his freedom resting squarely in her capable hands.

35 minutes later the van rounded a corner and entered a concrete courtyard. After backing up to a large garage door, the van pulled in and minutes later, the door was unbolted and the guard inside the van pulled Jane up and held him securely while another guard entered and unlocked the chain shackling Jane to the floor.

"Out! Eyes straight ahead!" Jane was commanded. Doing what he was told, he stepped down and out of the van and followed the officer in front of him into the building, where he was frisked, photographed, fingerprinted and fully processed into their jail. Each step dehumanized him more and more. Next he was led to a change room where he was told to undress and put on a grey prisoner's jumpsuit. The whole time he was getting changed he was watched by a very large, unsmiling guard who had a large gun on his hip. As soon as Jane was done, he was pulled out of the change room and led to a small windowless room where he was forced to sit on a hard metal chair while his hands were once again handcuffed to a large metal ring on the steel tabletop. The room was uncomfortably cold, the temperature set more for the comfort of the detectives in suits than for the lightly clothed prisoners. Time passed slowly for Jane in the chilly room, and after more than 30 minutes, the door finally opened and Detective Robert Carlson came in with another officer. Sitting down with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, he made himself comfortable and leaned back in his chair, taking a swig of his drink and sighing deeply.

"Damn these chairs are hard" he said to his partner.

"Sure are" his fellow officer agreed amiably.

"I wouldn't want to sit here for too long, my ass would be complaining 'til next Sunday!" smirked Carlson.

"If I had your ass I'd be complaining too!" the partner shot back, snorting into his coffee. Jane knew this little game was meant to piss him off and let him know that they had left him to chill on his hard chair on purpose, so he tried to let it just roll off him. He could play games too. Detective Carlson snickered at his partner's comment and took another long pull on his coffee before turning his attention to the composed man seated across the table from him.

"So… we meet again Mr. Jane". He took a moment to run his eyes up and down Jane clad like a prisoner. "You don't look nearly so impressive once your fancy three piece suit is tossed. But I think grey is your colour. Good thing, since you'll be wearing it for a long time" he grinned, laughing at his own cleverness. His partner smirked in agreement. Jane bit back a response and just sat staring at Carlson, waiting for the real interview to begin.

"I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long Mr. Jane. We were busy dealing with a distraught young woman who just identified the monster who molested her for two weeks. I'm sure you can understand that it took some time to calm her down" Carlson said with malice dripping from each word, his dislike of Jane coming off him in waves.

"She's lying" Jane said quietly.

"Of course she is… all victims do that". Carlson leaned forward and lowered his voice dramatically, staring at Jane. "But here's the thing...I guess then the DNA evidence is a lie too Mr. Jane. The fingerprints all over the house where you kept her… the bloodstains on the ropes that tied her to the wooden chair you made her sit on for days… the bruises on her face and body… I guess those are all a lie too" stated Detective Carlson. Jane's expression changed from controlled calm to stunned when he heard the allegations of her confinement and abuse. Gathering his wits about him, he tried again.

"It's all a lie, a fabrication. Someone has gone out of their way to frame me, and they have evidently done a very good job of it. I would never hit a woman or kidnap her. Never!" he spat out.

Leaning back in his chair, the detective raised his right hand and pointed his index finger towards Jane's hands.

"You care to tell us then how your hands got so banged up? Those are fresh scrapes and bruises on your knuckles and fingers. You didn't get those from praying".

Jane stared down at his hands and felt the blood drain out of his face. Jeezus this was going from bad to worse.

"I've been renovating a house in East Sacramento without help, and I lost my grip on a large sheet of drywall. It started to fall and I reached out to grab it and cut up my knuckles when they hit the studs on the wall. The blood is probably still on the studs if you go back and check. The bruises are from the punching bag at the CBI gym. I go every once in awhile to work out" he explained reasonably.

"Oh so now you're a carpenter besides a consultant and fake psychic. Is there no limit to what you can do?" laughed Det. Carlson with his partner, not believing for an instant that Jane was telling the truth.

"Check the log book at the gym. You can see when I was there most recently. Check my credit card expenditures, you'll see that I have been buying building supplies for a few weeks now to renovate the house. It's all there!" Jane explained.

"And that tells us exactly what Mr. Jane? It tells us you bought a house and decided to renovate it, and oh, by the way, it was a perfect place to take a poor young woman and dehumanize her for a while. Drywall or no drywall, she identified you not once but twice. So don't feed me no bullshit story about fixing up an old house. You needed a place to take someone and when you found the right place, within driving distance of your job, you bought it, all the while trolling for your victim. Sound about right?".

Jane sat back in his chair, not sure what to say. Everything he had told the detective was true, but none of it exonerated him of this hideous crime. The detective had him over a barrel. The victim had to be in on the scam, but there was no way he could convince the detective of that.

"No, it doesn't sound about right because it is all a set-up. Investigate the girl. Get her checked out at a hospital, find out how serious her injuries are. Speak to her friends and work associates and see what they have to say about her" said Jane, clearly exasperated by this idiots' willingness to believe everything that the girl was saying. Carlson fanned his fingers out and spread his hands on the table, eyeing Jane suspiciously.

"So if I am to believe you, you have never met this girl before. You bought a house and started to renovate it without any prior experience, and oh by the way, the girl's DNA somehow got into your house all by itself. We'll get back to that later. But I'm going to give you a chance to provide an alibi for yourself. If you can provide us with an alibi proving your whereabouts during those two weeks in question things might go a bit better for you. Let's see… Did you tell your co-workers about your house and what you were doing?"

Jane shook his head, no.

"No? Ok then… Did you tell them you were working on it after hours and on the weekends? Did you ask them for help fixing it up at least?"

Jane at looked Carlson and had no reply. He had not told a soul about what he had been up to lately. He was still an intensely private man and his purpose for the house would remain a secret. No one needed to know why he had bought it. Now, he had no way to prove what he said was true. Even Lisbon was kept out of his plans. He regretted his secrecy now.

"I'm waiting Mr. Jane. Where's that alibi that will save your sorry ass?" grinned the smug Detective.

"The victim tells me you would come in before going to work and spend time with her, frighten her half to death with threats and punches and laugh about it. You had to go to work to keep up appearances but then you would go back to the house as soon as possible, to spend as much time with Carol as possible, right?"

"No".

"But you have been coming to work late and leaving early, isn't that the truth Mr. Jane?" Carlson stated, knowing the answer already.

Jane got a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. How did Carlson know his comings and goings. Carlson knew more than Lisbon!

"I spent every spare moment at the house trying to finish it up. There is a lot to do and I am just learning as I go, so of course I go there every chance I get."

"And having a lovely young woman tied up and at your disposal is also a great incentive to hustle over there morning, noon and night, right? Tell me" whispered Carlson, "did it arouse you to have that much power over the kid Jane? Is that how you get off? Huh? Cause if that is what you need to get off you are one sick bastard Jane!" sneered Carlson.

Jane was disgusted at the image Carlson was calling up now, insinuating Jane was a sexual pervert .

"If you would do your job and investigate even the tiniest bit, you might begin to poke holes in the girl's story. But you aren't doing your job are you Carlson?"

"Don't tell me how to do my job! I've done my job! That's why you're sitting in this cold room in handcuffs and I am going home to my nice warm house, my lovely wife, my 2.5 children and lap dog. So get used to the new status quo and your new job description: kidnapper and misogynist. That's you Mr. Jane. That's you".

Detective Carlson stood up and kicked back his chair. He and his partner walked out the door without a backwards glance, while another large cop came in and uncuffed Jane, dragging him out of his chair with unnecessary force, and shoved him through the door. Five minutes later Jane was back in his cell with a cold paper cup of black coffee sitting on the floor waiting for him. He sat on his bunk heavily and ran his hands through his hair in despair. All of his hopes for exoneration now lay with Lisbon and his team mates back at the CBI. He hoped it wouldn't take them too long. This was getting tedious.


	5. Crying Over Jane

Thank you to all the new reviewers. Much appreciated! Another long chapter. Hope you don't mind!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 5

Crying Over Jane

Lisbon drove over to the SAC PD with trepidation. If Det. Carlson was still there she was sure he would not let her anywhere near Jane. Her only hope was that he had gone home early, sated with self-satisfaction after having caught a vicious kidnapper and misogynist, or so he thought. Clutching a paper cup of camomile tea for Jane in case she did manage to see him, she pulled into the parking lot and calmed herself for whatever difficulties lay ahead of her. She had her badge at the ready when she entered the foyer and walked up to the security post.

She went through the usual security drill, all metal objects and wallet in the bucket, gun and badge as well went through the scanner. When she had cleared that hurdle, she walked up to the front desk and found a bored Sergeant on duty. Pulling herself up to her limited height, she announced herself and said she had business with the new prisoner, Patrick Jane. She flashed her badge and when she met with some resistance, she mentioned Detective Carlson's name and alluded to the fact they had both brought down this dangerous felon. The Sergeant on duty was completely disinterested in her story, just as long as she left her Glock at the front desk under lock and key, he didn't care who she came to see. So far, so good. Another hurdle cleared. She asked the man where the cells were and he pointed to the bank of elevators to her left once she entered the main hallway. Praying that none of Carlson's cronies saw her, she quickly punched the 'down' button and slipped inside, stabbing the button for the basement level as quickly as possible. When the doors slid shut she released the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Now if she could just get all the way down without anyone getting onto the elevator with her, things would really be going her way. The descent began and sure enough, the elevator slowed down on the next level and the doors glided open. Trying to look calm, Lisbon was relieved to see a maintenance man enter holding a large tube light in his hand. He never even looked at her, so consumed in his own thoughts, she could have been invisible to him. Down they went again, and the next floor was the basement level. When the doors opened, Lisbon followed the maintenance man out and followed him down the only corridor. When she turned the corner, she came face to face with a young officer who was engrossed in a Science Fiction novella while he hungrily bit into a massive sandwich. Hoping her badge would intimidate him into letting her pass, Lisbon flashed it in his face and then removed it before he had time to read the CBI logo.

"I'm here to see the new prisoner, Patrick Jane. Which way?" she barked.

Wiping his greasy mouth on a napkin the young man gulped his food down noisily and pointed over his shoulder, and tried to speak.

"To the left, second cell, you can't miss him".

"Thanks. Enjoy your meal" said Lisbon agreeably, but the man was already back into his book, conquering the universe. Lisbon walked quickly down the hall and turned left. Passing the first cell, which was blessedly empty, she found herself standing at the bars of her Consultant's cell.

He was curled up in a tight ball on his meager mattress, eyes closed and a look of frustration on his slack face.

"Hey you" she said softly, and at the sound of her voice, she saw an instantaneous transformation on Jane's forlorn face as his eyes snapped open and he roused himself into action. He slowly stood up, holding his ribs with one hand and walked gingerly over to the bars where she stood.

"Jane! What's wrong? Are you in pain?" asked Lisbon in alarm at his obvious discomfort.

"Ahhh, just a little creaky… ever been tasered Lisbon?" he asked, reaching through the bars to touch her hand, his eyes dancing with surprise at seeing her so soon.

"Carlson let his men taser you? My God Jane! Anything else you want to tell me?"

Looking embarrassed, Jane just smirked and unconsciously adjusted his stance. "Just a judicious kick in the groin to aid in my cooperation."

"He had no right… this is abuse!" she blurted out in shock.

"Yeah, well, he had all the muscle on his side…" Jane said, hoping to change the subject.

"It's good to see you" he smiled broadly. "How did you get in here? Detective Carlson can't have softened up since this afternoon." Taking the tea and passing it through the bars to Jane, Lisbon told Jane about her trip into the police station.

"Thank you for coming. And for the tea…. It beats cold black coffee any day" he grinned as he took a long appreciative sip of the warm liquid. "Aaahhh, nectar of the gods…" Jane moaned with delight.

"Jane, I don't have much time, so you need to tell me what's going on" whispered Lisbon.

"Why didn't you come and find me back at the CBI?" countered Jane, hurt that she didn't stop Carlson's men from handcuffing him. "Lisbon, they tasered me in that holding room and said I was resisting arrest. I thought you would come in and break it up!" he said, disappointment evident in his voice.

Lisbon's eyes grew large as she realized what Det. Carlson had been up to when he kept her busy in another room after the lineup was done.

"That sonna a bitch!" she muttered. "Jane, I'm sorry, I didn't know. When this is all over, I'll make Carlson's life miserable. Trust me!"

"I do" said Jane softly, admiring her spirit and indignation at his rough treatment. "Lisbon, this is all a set up. You know as much as I do" Jane began, shaking his head in consternation, but his boss cut him off.

"I believe you but you have been acting strangely lately, we've all noticed it, so if you want to get out of here, tell me about the address you gave us. What is that all about?"

Jane just shrugged his shoulders and stared into her deep green worried eyes.

"I wanted to keep it a secret. No one was supposed to know."

"Know what Jane?"

Jane sighed and ran his hand through his hair, frustrated that his simple plan had been hijacked and destroyed so easily. "I bought a derelict house on the edge of town and I wanted to fix it up, all by myself. I've been reading up on renovating an old house, and I just wanted to see if I could do it. You're always telling me to get out more and get a life… so I was trying. And the great thing is that I really enjoyed it once I got going. That's why I leave early when I can, so I can get back to work on the house. Sometimes I just sleep over on a little cot I set up there and get a bit of work done if I can't sleep. That's why I've been late a few times in the morning. I got busy on a project and lost all sense of time."

"But you own a house in Malibu, where you almost never go. So why buy another house that needs so much work?"

Jane looked distinctly uncomfortable, but knew he had to be honest.

"The house in Malibu is part of my past life. Not sure what I'm going to do with it but I will never live there again. I just can't. But with this old house, I was going to see if I could actually fix it up, then I was going to lease it to the city for a nominal amount, maybe $100 a year, so they could turn it into a youth shelter for street kids." Looking at Lisbon with a glimmer of pride in his eyes he added, "I could have used a safe place like that when I was a kid."

Filled with surprise at his attempts to do something so kind, Lisbon was at a loss for words.

"Jane, that's just wonderful… really wond…"

"Oh it's nothing" he cut her off with a wave of his hand. "No one was supposed to know. It'll ruin my curmudgeonly reputation" he smirked.

"Did you actually approach anyone on City Council with your plan, can you prove your story?"

Jane shook his head. "I called and left several messages, but no one has returned my calls yet, so, no, I didn't speak to anyone."

"But you left messages! If we can find those messages it will go a long way towards corroborating your story about the house, Jane."

"According to Detective Carlson, not only is my DNA all over the house, but so is the victim's! Lisbon, they say I tied the girl to a chair and left her there for days and abused her whenever I came around! How can there be a chair in that house with her DNA on it? She was never there!"

Lisbon reached through the bars and took his hand in hers. "It's obviously a setup Jane… someone staged it before the cops arrived to conduct their search of the house. That's got to be how the chair and the DNA got there." Jane nodded his head, deep in thought. "That means that there was an accomplice working with the girl. While she was on her way to the police, her partner was breaking into the house to plant the chair and bloody rope ties."

"So her partner knows how to pick a lock…" muttered Jane. "Serves me right for not changing the locks to something more secure. I was going to get around to that at some point" he said with regret.

Lisbon looked at his hands and had to ask the question.

"What about these scrapes on your knuckles Jane? Carlson said you got those from beating up that young woman."

"Do you know me at all Lisbon? I would never beat a woman, never!"

"I know that, but we have to convince Carlson and a judge. So - how'd you hurt your hands?"

Jane looked down at his bruised and scraped hands and saw how bad it must look to outsiders, especially suspicious cops. "Just like I told Carlson, I lost my grip on a big piece of drywall and it started to fall. I grabbed it but snagged my knuckles against the wall stud and beat up my hands. I'm sure if a forensics team checks they will find my blood just where I said it will be."

"Finding your blood at the scene of a kidnapping will not exonerate you Jane, it will make you look more guilty."

"I know. Someone planned this very well. Probably has been watching me for weeks and knew when to make their move". Jane's DNA all over the inside of the house was there, as it should be, but his honest excuses to explain it could convict him.

"What about the woman? What do we know about her since she is obviously lying about me. What's her angle, why me?"

"We're looking into her background, her associates, family ties, all of that. But since this is not our investigation, we have to do this carefully, without ruffling Carlson's feathers and that won't be easy."

"I must have a connection to her somehow. Tell me everything you know about her so far and maybe something will leap out at me" Jane said hopefully.

"It's too soon. I've got Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho busy researching her but it will take some time Jane. I'm sorry, but for now we are in the dark as much as you are. If I could have you transferred back to the CBI we could make you more comfortable, but it's out of our hands. I'm sorry" Lisbon said, looking at his spartan accommodations with unease.

"Tell me about the girl Lisbon. Everything, no matter if it seems insignificant. How she acted, spoke, watched me in the lineup. Was anything odd about her behaviour? Anything you noticed that caught your attention?"

Lisbon shook her head, no. "Jane, she was just a very distraught young woman facing her kidnapper. She was terrified. The whole time she cried crocodile tears, holding a large handkerchief up to her nose and sniffing like a small child. Even though she was perfectly safe, she looked like she had only just escaped from that house moments before" Lisbon explained.

Jane looked down at the floor and thought hard. Something was off about this whole episode. He had seen plenty of upset victims, too many to count and all of them handled their fears in their own unique way. But somehow, this didn't feel right. What was he missing? He wished he had seen Carol with his own eyes instead of being on that stage in front of the two way mirror.

"Tell me again. Was she crying when she went into the room or just when she got there?" he asked.

"What does it matter Jane? She was very upset."

'Please, just… just tell me again. Describe her behaviour as you saw it'"

Lisbon nodded and thought back to the scene in the small observation room once again.

"Carol was standing there, waiting for all of you to be brought in."

"Was she crying then?" asked Jane.

"Um, well, no. Not then, but she looked very nervous."

"OK, nervous. Then what? Go on Lisbon, open the doors to your memory palace like I have taught you" he encouraged her. Lisbon saw the desperation on Jane's face and tried to see that scene again as it happened, moment by moment.

"Carol was nervous but calm while she waited for all of you to come in. Then she saw the men in the lineup and she started to cry again. She used that handkerchief like a lifeline. When she saw you she was so overcome she held the hankie to her nose for a long time, crying hard. She was distraught Jane, she cried really hard and had to keep her hankie near. It was sad to see" she concluded.

Jane paced his small cell and then stopped suddenly. Turning around he seemed to have realized something.

"How many handkerchiefs do you own Lisbon?"

Lisbon smirked and looked confused. "Aaahhh… none that I know of. Why?"

"How many times have you seen Van Pelt with a handkerchief of any description?" he continued.

Lisbon frowned at this odd line of questions. "Never. They're kind of unsanitary you know. Tissues are better when you have a cold or whatever… just use them and throw them away so you don't spread germs!"

"Exactly… and how many young women do you think would consider a man's handkerchief a necessary item to stash in her pocket or purse? Hmmm?"

Lisbon looked at Jane, seeing his point. "If the year was 1811, I would expect her to have many dainty little hankies at her disposal, but not today, and certainly not one your grandfather would use."

"Uh huh… so how did she come to have a giant white handkerchief in her possession?"

"Maybe Detective Carlson gave it to her? Maybe it was his?" Lisbon guessed.

"Good assumption, but I'm betting that he has never owned one. What became of this hankie Lisbon?" asked Jane, a fire burning in his eyes now.

"How should I know? She probably took it with her. In her purse" Lisbon suggested, looking confused.

"Did this young woman have a purse with her?" continued Jane.

Lisbon stared off into space to see the young woman again in her mind. Then she grinned broadly.

"No. No purse."

Jane turned and smiled at her. "So where did the handkerchief go? Her 'lifeline' as you called it?"

Lisbon stared at Jane, not knowing why this was important, but to him it was, so now it was important to her too.

"I'll go back to the office and search the interrogation rooms and the area where she stood watching the lineup. If I have to take the whole CBI office apart, I will. And what should I do with it if I find it?" she asked Jane reasonably.

Putting his long index finger against his bottom lip in thought, he shook his head. "Aahh, not sure, but examine it and see if something turns up. I'm grasping at straws here Lisbon. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just need to know more about the girl. I would expect her to be scared, but nervous? Why nervous? She is not the perp but the victim, surrounded by big burly cops. She was safe, so why was she nervous? I think she is not all she seems. What is her name? No one has told me yet."

"Carol Johansson. Single, white, high school drop out, unemployed. Staying with her brother's family for now until she gets settled."

"Where was she from originally?" asked Jane.

"Ah, I don't actually know. Let me call Van Pelt and see what she has dug up… hang on."

Lisbon took out her phone and dialed Van Pelt, hoping she had discovered something useful in her absence.

While Lisbon chatted on the phone, Jane finished off the last of his tea and paced his cell, feeling powerless and cramped. His clothes were itchy and didn't fit very well. Suddenly his grim little motel room seemed like a palace compared to this place. All things change in perspective he realized with chagrin...

"Ok, thanks. Good work, see you soon" Lisbon finished and rang off.

"Well?" Jane asked hopefully.

"She's from here, Sacramento, originally".

"We need to find out the names of all of her relatives. See if I know any of them. There is a connection between us. I just don't know what it is" Jane mused.

"Hey! You there! Time's up!" shouted the young guard, who must have finally realized that the prisoner's visitor had never left. He was standing at the corner, looking towards the cell block, staring at Jane and Lisbon.

"Time to go!" he called.

"Just about done, thank you!" said Lisbon brightly, before turning back to a disappointed looking Jane.

"Hang in there Jane. We'll do everything we can to get you out of here as soon as possible. If I can come back to visit I will."

"Promises promises…" he whispered.

"I'm sorry… I have to go before someone comes snooping around and I get thrown out permanently. I called a lawyer friend of mine and he will be around in the morning to talk to you. He will be trying to help you Jane so don't piss him off!"

"I'll behave" Jane smiled, sorry to see her go.

"Bye Jane. I'll come back soon" she whispered, taking his hand in hers.

"I will be on my best behaviour - Scout's honour!" smiled Jane, holding up his other hand in a two fingered Scout salute.

Lisbon withdrew her hands and turned away, heading towards the guard. As she reached the corner, she turned and gave her friend one last small smile and saw him smile grimly back. Her heart shrank a size or two at seeing his expression. She had to find that handkerchief!

Jane watched Lisbon go around the corner and any semblance of courage quickly faded from his face, his predicament settling heavily on him. He turned and once again surveyed his small cell. With nothing else to do, he sat on his cot and twisted his wedding ring 'round and around his finger while he tried to make sense out of his situation. Sitting here unable to go out and investigate on his own terms was driving him crazy. A loud growl from his stomach interrupted his thoughts and he wondered if anyone would think to feed him today. It had been hours since his blueberry muffin and tea first thing this morning. It was well past suppertime and although he didn't keep regular hours most days, he always managed to indulge in something tasty wherever he went. He wondered if calling out to the young guard would result in a sandwich or nothing at all. Looking at the bars surrounding him, he figured he had nothing to lose, so might as well give it a try.

"Um… hello out there! Is there any chance of some food showing up some time in the next hour?" he called. The silence answering him was disappointing. "Hello? Are you still out there?" he called.

"Quiet!" yelled the young guard, not liking to be interrupted from his reading.

"About supper… is there one coming?" ventured Jane again.

"It's too late. Wait 'til morning!" shouted the guard in response.

Jane sighed in resignation. So, no food tonight. Too bad Lisbon hadn't brought a sandwich in her shoulder bag. At least he had had some fresh tea…

Morning couldn't come fast enough.


	6. A Blast From The Past

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 6

A Blast From The Past

(Late Afternoon)

Lisbon drove as quickly as she dared through the downtown traffic and got to the CBI in record time. She dropped her bag in her office and took off running down the hall to the interrogation room, searching the floor and chairs to see if the girl had dropped her handkerchief. Nothing. She then rushed off to the viewing room with the two way mirror. She searched the narrow space thoroughly and found only crumbs and a used tissue. Dammit where was it! She scanned the hallway and the area around the elevator as she made her way back slowly towards the bullpen, not finding anything. Van Pelt and Rigsby looked up when she came in and were joined by Cho holding a fresh cup of coffee.

"Boss? How'd it go with Jane?" asked Van Pelt.

"Did you get to visit him?" asked Cho.

"Tell you in a minute. Have any of you seen or found a large white handkerchief, the kind older men might still carry?" Lisbon asked, looking frazzled.

"Nope" said Rigsby, puzzled by the odd question. Cho shook his head and was hoping Lisbon would explain herself. Before Van Pelt could answer, the cleaning man came into the bullpen whistling and pushing his trolley of cleaning supplies. He ignored them and proceeded to empty waste paper baskets, eyeing the floor for debris. Lisbon had an idea and approached him.

"Excuse me, we need your help".

He looked surprised that the Senior Agent in Charge needed his help for anything, so he smiled and stopped what he was doing.

"Me? How can I help you Agent?"

"As you made your rounds, have you found a large white handkerchief lying around the office anywhere? You know, the kind men used to carry all the time?"

"You mean like this?" he asked, and pulled a large green checkered handkerchief out of his pants pocket. "This was my father's, and I still like to carry it with me. Sentimental - ya know?"

"Sure. But have you found one like that, only plain white?" Lisbon asked, feeling like they had hit a dead end.

"As a matter of fact, I did! Someone just threw it out in the ladies washroom like it was trash. There ain't nothing wrong with it that a little wash won't fix. 'Cause it stinks!" the man said, pulling a long face as he produced the cloth out of his side pocket.

"Could you give it to me please?" said Lisbon, relieved that it had been found. "I'm sorry, but I have to keep this, it's evidence" she explained.

"Easy come, easy go" the cleaner shrugged, and turned to get back to his job. Lisbon and the others all retired to her office and shut the door.

Taking a large sniff of the handkerchief, Lisbon was soon tearing up, her nose running and her eyes getting red.

"Boss, what's going on? What's with the hanky? And why are you crying?" asked Van Pelt.

Lisbon wiped her eyes with a tissue she had pulled out of her pocket and handed the cloth to Cho.

"Bag that for evidence and send it to the lab for analysis. Put a rush on it and call in any favours you might have to get it processed ASAP!"

"Will do. What are they looking for?" he asked.

"Tell them to check for any noxious substance applied to the surface of the handkerchief, something that will make your eyes tear up and your nose run. Something that will make you look like you are crying your eyes out" Lisbon explained.

"Will do" Cho said and pulled out an evidence bag. Lisbon then proceeded to tell them about her trip to the SAC PD and her conversation with Jane. They were suitably outraged when she told them Jane had been tasered and kneed in the groin. Cho and Rigsby exchanged a look between them that signalled their disgust with the conduct of the SAC PD officers, and Van Pelt was just worried about Jane's health. Trying to stay on topic, Lisbon brought the conversation back to the so called "victim" and Jane's suspicions about her. He was right. The girl was lying and the whole thing was a scam, a frame so tight that they would have had a hard time proving Jane's innocence except for the discarded handkerchief. Such a small thing could turn the whole case around, or so Lisbon hoped.

They discussed their options and made plans for turning the tables on the girl and whoever else was in on this plot. But first, they needed that lab report ASAP.

(Jane's cell, morning)

Breakfast finally materialized the next morning and although it consisted of a bone dry oatmeal muffin that could possibly have contained sawdust, and another lukewarm cup of black coffee, Jane was so hungry he finished it all off. Once he got out of jail he promised himself a wonderful cup of Ceylon black tea and a pastry from Marie's. At 9am on the dot his lawyer showed up, a Mr. Costa. Greetings out of the way, both sat down on the thin mattress and got down to business.

Jane would be arraigned and brought before a judge in a day or two. At that time his charges would be read and he could plead innocent. Then he could ask for bail, which in the case of the seriousness of his charges, would most likely be levied at $1,000,000. If he could meet the bail demand, he could walk out of the courtroom a relatively free man until his next court date. If the judge imposed any restrictions on his freedom, he would be bound to follow those to the letter or risk re-arrest. But the bottom line was that in a couple of days he would be on the street again. The next 48 hours would drag on endlessly, but compared to a lifetime behind bars, he could get through it. The lawyer, whom Jane actually warmed up to, was surprised when Jane didn't balk at the million dollar bail figure. No one really knew how much Jane was worth, but it was a lot, stashed away in various bank accounts both Stateside and overseas. A night out gambling could always replenish his store of money if need be. He directed Mr. Costa to arrange bail should the judge allow it. Once the boring details of his incarceration and possible liberation from the SAC PD cell were ironed out, Mr. Costa stood up to go. He shook hands and assured Jane he would be in contact with Lisbon to get the latest information about his case. Fact sharing with the lawyer for the prosecution would follow soon enough, but for now he was dealing with very little to go on other than Janes' protestations of innocence.

Alone again in his cell, Jane felt a little glimmer of hope that soon he would be free to find the real culprit behind this stunt. He got to work thinking about how to blow Carol Johansson's story out of the water. Whatever benefit she thought she would get out of framing Jane was soon going to backfire. Just thinking about it brought a smile to Jane's face. Things were looking up!

(CBI, morning)

Van Pelt was already busy at her computer when Lisbon came in that morning. She had not slept well the night before, eagerness to find out everything she could about Carol Johansson keeping her awake. Finally giving up at 6am, she showered and drove to the office and was immersed in her research by 6:45.

"Morning Grace" said Lisbon, depositing a stack of papers on Cho's desk.

"Morning Boss!" she smiled back, leaning back and stretching her neck.

"Find anything on our hysterical kidnap victim?" Lisbon said with sarcasm.

"Just digging into her family and friends, but she doesn't have much of an internet footprint. She isn't a big user of social media and when she is online, she doesn't share much about herself or her family. It's kind of strange considering her age. Maybe she doesn't have easy access to the internet?" guessed Van Pelt.

"Seems strange, but anything is possible. Once we get that list of family and friends we will find out as much as we can about her recent activities. You would think her mother or father would have reported her missing, but it doesn't appear they did" Lisbon mused.

"Maybe this Carol Johansson isn't on good terms with her family and they just didn't know she was gone" stated Van Pelt logically.

"We'll know soon enough. Keep digging and let me know if anything shakes out" said Lisbon as she headed to her office. Once she got settled she made some notes for follow up calls and prayed they didn't catch a big case in the next few days. Her team needed to focus on finding out everything they could about the mysterious Miss Johansson.

(SAC PD, morning)

Detective Carlson sat back in his squeaky desk chair and gazed out across the bullpen at the SAC police department headquarters. He couldn't help but smirk thinking about the take down of the famous but arrogant Patrick Jane. He didn't really have a personal grudge against the CBI consultant, but he had been on the receiving end of some of Jane's wilder stunts to catch criminals that Carlson and his men might have eventually caught using more traditional investigative techniques. Jane just made the SAC PD look foolish one time too many. Payback's a bitch thought Carlson. That showman was crooked after all and now Carlson was looking good for once. He was going to enjoy every moment he had Jane in his jail cell downstairs.

Looking up he noticed Steve Hannigan walk by slowly, clutching a steaming mug of coffee as he headed towards his largely empty desk. Hannigan had been a CBI employee a few years ago, but he had had a falling out with Lisbon concerning a lack of discipline and sloppy work methods. Hannigan was old school and had never fit in well with his younger and more computer literate fellow agents at the CBI. When he punched Patrick Jane in the nose the day Jane appeared looking for information about the Red John case, it was just one more issue Lisbon had to deal with regarding her less than bright agent. She had been willing to give Hannigan one more chance to straighten up, but he preferred to transfer out to another department when Jane was hired to work as a consultant. Since then Hannigan had left the CBI altogether, his transfer to another department also an abject failure, as he failed to become a team player there too. He had finally landed on the doorstep of the SAC PD, his last chance to maintain his policing career. Carlson didn't like him much but an old school bully cop could be useful from time to time in the close confines of an interrogation room, just as long as Hannigan didn't go too far. Unfortunately, Hannigan did go too far, time and time again. HR had issued warnings to him to re-read departmental policies regarding contact with the public and more specifically, his interactions with suspects. They were, after all, innocent until proven guilty.

Carlson had also sat Hannigan down many times over the past few years and reamed his butt out after more than one nasty confrontation in the station between a suspect and Hannigan. When the last guy Hannigan brought in wearing handcuffs had sustained a broken arm while in his care, it was the last straw for Carlson. The crap storm created by the lawsuit brought by the innocent man was still fresh in Carlson's mind. His Captain had warned Carlson to get rid of Hannigan before he killed someone during an interrogation. So, Hannigan was fired and was now working out his last few days, cleaning up his case files and clearing his desk for his replacement. He had been told to take some personal time off to sort out his financial affairs and calm down. He had only just come back to the office and was totally out of the loop about new cases, not that any of his former colleagues felt the need to share information with him now. He was pretty much a dead man walking, so they say. The simmering resentment Hannigan had against his superior officers and perps in general was palpable. The few people in the office who had tolerated him in the past were closing ranks and avoiding him now, as the stink of failure on Hannigan was considered infectious, like a virus. Cardboard boxes held the few personal items Hannigan had brought to work with him those few years ago. He didn't ever talk about his home life so no one knew much about him. He was a loner.

Carlson swung around in his chair and dismissed Hannigan from his thoughts. The fact that the man was in his late 50's and most likely would end up working as a security guard in some sad factory was none of his concern. Served Hannigan right…


	7. Angel or Devil?

This is a extra long chapter, since it was hard to just cut it off too soon, and I won't be able to post another chapter for several days. So you get two chapters for the price of one! For my new readers, please check out my other stories as well!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 7

Angel or Devil?

Carol Johansson was sitting in her brother's backyard, working on getting some sun to add colour to her pallid complexion. She had been out of circulation for a while and looked forward to getting a tan, a job and some money, not necessarily in that order. Her family was small and about as dysfunctional as they get these days, but her brother would always make room for her. Hell, he'd picked her up at the women's shelter more than once in the last year without asking too many questions. She put up with the lectures he gave her about always picking losers for boyfriends but she could deal with it - he loved her no matter what. The sucker. Her newest boyfriend was pretty smart though, always coming up with some kind of money making scheme that would not require him wearing a uniform or saying yes sir or no sir to some schmuck in a suit. She'd be giving him a call today and let him know she was at her brother's house and that his plan had worked beautifully. He wasn't a bad guy, not as bad as some she had hooked up with in the past. So what if he tuned her up every once in awhile? Bruises heal quickly when you're young and she figured she usually deserved to be hit what with her bad attitude and big mouth. God she was just like her old man had been, wherever the hell he was now. Always pushing the limits until someone bigger and stronger pushed her back. She couldn't keep a small grin from creeping up on her face though, when she remembered seeing that hunky blonde man step forward with a number around his neck back at the police station. He looked so stunned and angry. Served him right. He'd go to jail on a kidnapping charge and never figure out why or who had it in for him. Shit this was fun!

(Office CBI)

Hightower stepped out of the elevator and marched rapidly down the hall heading directly for Lisbon's office. Poking her head in the doorway, she barked out an order. "My office, now!"

Lisbon barely had time to say 'Yes Ma'am' before Hightower was out the door and storming back to her own office. Moments later, Lisbon arrived and was instructed to shut the door.

"Ma'am?"

"Please, take a seat" her boss indicated with a wave of her hand.

Turning her steely eyes on Lisbon, Hightower got straight to the point.

"I go out of town to a conference for 5 days, and all hell breaks loose! My consultant is arrested on kidnapping charges, assault charges, cruelty charges? What else has gone on in my absence? Don't tell me he also blew up the Statue of Liberty!"

"It's all a sham" said Lisbon urgently, with as much control in her voice as she could muster.

"We believe that Jane is being set up - by whom and for what reason, we don't know yet, but someone wants him disgraced and imprisoned."

"Why do you think it's a sham Lisbon, aside from the fact that this would be totally out of character for Jane to harm a woman" said Hightower fairly. "Aside from his protestations of innocence, do you have any proof of this setup?"

"I visited Jane in jail at the SAC PD and we did some brainstorming. I had mentioned the girl kept using a large handkerchief, the kind men used to use. Jane thought it was odd and told me to look for it here in the office in case she dropped it. Turns out she had thrown it out in the ladies washroom and our cleaning man found it. He was going to take it home, wash it and use it again".

"Charming…" muttered Hightower in disgust.

"We took it back, and just like Jane suspected, the handkerchief was a prop, doused in something noxious that made the girl tear up. It made her appear very upset and emotional, when in fact she was just acting."

"Where is this handkerchief now?" asked Hightower.

"In the lab, getting analysed for anything that will incriminate this woman and prove she is a liar."

"Alright then, let's get more evidence and get Jane's charges dropped" said Hightower, standing and signalling that this meeting had ended.

"Yes Ma'am" agreed Lisbon, turning to go.

"Nice work Teresa…" smiled Hightower, as Lisbon nodded her head and returned to her office.

Grace was waiting for Lisbon when she got back to the bullpen.

"We have a break Boss, we know who Carol Johansson's mother is. She is Anita Johansson, 53 years old, divorced for years, single and living in Garden Wells, a little community just outside Sacramento. Nothing on the father yet, but Carol has a brother, Jim. He lives in Sacramento and has a family, house, steady job. Seems like a regular guy. We can contact him and see if he is willing to tell us anything about his sister."

"Does this Carol Johansson have a record, any history of arrests for anything?"

"Nothing comes up in the system. She seems pretty clean so far" affirmed Van Pelt.

"OK. Good work. I want you and Rigsby to go visit Jim Johansson this morning and get feel for his relationship with his sister. See if he tells us something useful."

"Sure thing Boss."

"And Grace, if Carol is at her brother's place, try to get something out of her, see if she seems upset or frightened. We need to see what she's like without any props to make her cry" said Lisbon.

"I'll do my best."

"Thanks Grace! I'm taking Cho with me to visit Anita Johansson. By this afternoon we'll compare notes and see who Carol Johansson really is" she said, turning back towards her office.

(SAC PD)

Hannigan sat at his desk with nothing to do. His colleagues acted as if he was invisible. Hannigan knew something big had gone down in the last 48 hours while he was gone, as groups of cops were gathered around the coffee machine whispering and laughing, excluding him. Getting more and more angry, Hannigan went to his partner and demanded to know what everyone was talking about.

"Oh you didn't hear?" his soon-to-be ex-partner said, feigning surprise that Hannigan was out of the gossip loop.

""Would I be asking you if I knew what the buzz around here was all about?" groused the older man.

"Your favourite guy got arrested for kidnapping and assault! He's downstairs in the jail waiting for his arraignment" smiled the young cop.

"My favourite guy? Who the hell are you talking about?"

"Jane! Mr. Hocus Pocus! The great mind reader, the psychic! Patrick Jane!"

Hannigan took a step back in shock. "Patrick Jane is in our cells on a kidnapping charge?"

"Am I speaking Chinese Hannigan? Yes, that asshole!"

Hannigan stood still for a moment as he processed this shocking information. He had no love for Jane, blaming him for the beginning of the end of his career. With just a couple of days left at the SAC PD, this was like manna from heaven! He turned and headed for the elevators. This he had to see with his own eyes!

The elevator opened onto the corridor leading to the cells. It was a quiet day so far and the usual cursing and yelling from those held in custody was absent since Jane was the only prisoner being held at the moment. Hannigan showed his badge to the guard on duty who waved him through. A short time later, he was staring at the dishevelled form of the famous Patrick Jane. Grinning from ear to ear, Hannigan approached the bars of Jane's cell and just stood staring at the man reclining on his bunk.

"They told me upstairs that you were a guest of the City, but I gotta tell ya, I had to see it to believe it!" laughed Hannigan.

"Well I'm glad I've provided you with your laugh of the day Hannigan" smiled Jane, remembering the man so clearly from years ago.

"My how the mighty have fallen… I should have known that sooner or later the real Patrick Jane would surface. But kidnapping? Assaulting a woman? You sure had Lisbon fooled!" said Hannigan, certain that Jane was finally revealing his true nature.

"Don't believe everything you hear Hannigan. I'll be out of here today or tomorrow and I have no intention of spending a single day in prison. The victim is lying and I'm going to prove it" Jane said with finality.

"You do that. But I wouldn't be surprised if you take down the whole CBI in the process" Hannigan suggested.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Jane countered.

Hannigan's face flushed bright red and he took another step closer the bars.

"It's because of you that I left the CBI, a nice cushy job I had been after for a long time. I should have been the Senior Agent in Charge, but no… that damned Teresa Lisbon talked her way into that job… or maybe slept her way into it and pushed me out" suggested Hannigan with a leer.

"You ought not speak to about Lisbon like that!" said Jane before he could stop himself. "Teresa Lisbon earned that job with hard work and incredible intelligence. You would never have been chosen as Senior Agent up against raw talent like hers, no matter the age difference between you. It's like I said the day I met you… it was a temperament issue. You would always be passed up for promotions."

"Go to hell!" spat out the disillusioned cop, his dislike of Jane on full display.

"So tell me Hannigan, how's the job here at SAC PD? Any better than the CBI?" asked Jane, amused by Hannigan's attempts at bluster. Hannigan didn't know how to answer. Did Jane somehow know that he had been fired? Was he poking fun at him and his inability to get ahead in the job? Was he just pouring gasoline on Hannigan's already simmering fire of resentment against the police hierarchy?

"Like I said, go to hell!" answered Hannigan lamely as he turned and stalked off down the corridor, fuming and not feeling the slightest bit appeased at seeing Jane in jail. God that man still pissed him off!

Jane stretched and settled down a little more deeply onto his bunk, his run in with Hannigan the highlight of his day so far. Time had not tempered Hannigan's issues with authority figures, and he had not learned anything in the passing years since leaving the CBI. A man like that created his own disasters but would never know why. So sad…

With absolutely nothing to amuse himself with and his trips into his memory palace trying to find a link between himself and the victim accusing him of kidnapping leading him nowhere, Jane decided that the next best thing to a cup of tea would be a nap. Since the tea would not be forthcoming until his release, he would settle for a snooze. Turning towards the wall he shut his eyes and drifted off, hoping to wake up to news of his imminent release.

(Rigsby and Van Pelt)

Rigsby and Van Pelt found their way to Jim Johansson's house and were impressed by how neat and tidy it was, settled nicely into a neighbourhood of similarly well-kept homes. Ringing the doorbell, they hoped their meeting with Carol's brother would yield something valuable to their investigation. Moments later a man in his early thirties opened the door. Showing their badges and identifying themselves, Rigsby and Van Pelt politely enquired if they could ask Jim some questions about his family and his sister in particular. Mr. Johansson let them in and showed them to the living room, pushing kids toys out of the way as they sat down on the sofa.

"My sister's outside on the patio. I'd appreciate it if you didn't upset her today" he began. Van Pelt hastened to reassure him that that was not their purpose. Relaxing a bit, he sat back and let them begin.

"Mr. Johansson, we're here to find out exactly what happened to your sister and how she came to be staying here with you" Van Pelt began gently.

"What's to tell? That bastard grabbed her off the street and took her back to his hovel where he dehumanized her for close to two weeks. He probably scoped out the neighbourhood looking for someone vulnerable and small!" he snapped, seeing it all play out in his mind.

"Did your sister call you from the police department to come and get her? Are you on good terms with her generally Mr. Johansson?" asked Rigsby, trying to calm the man down.

"She… she called me and begged me to come and get her. I've helped her out in the past and she knows she can call me if she can't manage on her own."

"Has she been in trouble with the law in the past?" asked Van Pelt.

"No. At least not that I know of, but she's the victim here! Why would you even ask me that?" he responded emotionally.

"Just trying to get to know her, that's all Mr. Johansson. How have you needed to help her out in the past? With housing or finding a job?" said Rigsby, fishing for an angle to follow.

"Huh! No...not with finding her a job… she couldn't keep a job if she tried… which she never does" her brother said with evident frustration bleeding through his words. "No, she usually calls me when one of her 'boyfriends' has beaten her up for drug money or for cheating on him and she ends up in a women's shelter. She only stays a day or two then wants to get out of there. Too many rules, she says" he huffed.

Van Pelt looked at Rigsby and took this lead a bit farther.

"So she has had altercations with men in the past. Is there anyone in her life right now who might have hurt her… beaten her up recently?"

"Not that I know of, but if you're suggesting someone else other than that cop hurt her, good try. She was kidnapped and just because a cop did it doesn't mean he gets to walk free!" her brother said protectively.

"That's not what I was suggesting at all Mr. Johansson. Does your sister have a good relationship with the rest of the family?" asked Van Pelt.

"It's just the two of us now. She won't have anything to do with our mother. They had a falling out years ago over our Dad and she won't forgive Mom for it. Mom tries her best, she's a good woman, but when Carol gets an idea into her head, that's it. Story over, end of discussion. It drove Mom nuts and the fights finally got too much and Mom threw Carol out on the street last year. Carol should be old enough to take care of herself, but she just doesn't do a good job of it. So that's when I help her out. She just needs to straighten herself out and find a good man, not some manipulative creep, finish her education and have a real life" he said with sadness.

Van Pelt stood up and looked out the dining room window, spotting the young woman sitting in the sun.

"Mind if I go and say hello to your sister? She might want to have a woman to talk to after all the men she's had to deal with lately" she suggested.

"Sure, go ahead, maybe it would help" he said, wishing it would.

Van Pelt excused herself and left Rigsby alone with Jim Johansson, while she made her way out to the backyard. Rounding the corner of the house silently, she observed Carol. The young 'victim' was stretched out on a lawn chair, a beer on the chair next to her and a cd player churning out the hits du jour. Van Pelt studied the girl and was surprised at how well her wrists seemed to be healing, considering she had told SAC PD Det. Carlson that she had been tied up on and off for two weeks. The young woman was talking on a cell phone, unaware that a cop was standing so close by. Van Pelt took out her cell phone and hit the video record button.

"Yeah baby, I'm fine! It's all good... yeah the bruises look OK… no, not too sore. You did a good job by the way. Yeah, I got checked out at the hospital and they agreed someone had laid a beating on me. Yeah, real Einsteins...Uh huh… yup, Jimmy is putting me up for as long as I want, but I expect to be pulling outta here as soon as we get that Jane guy sent up to the Federal Prison. Yeah, I know… but he's just a cop, like all of them… uh huh…" she continued, listening to her 'baby' on the other end of the line.

"Is this all gonna be over soon Boyd? Living here with my brother is boring as shit, but if I leave, it won't look good. OK… look I did what you wanted me to do so lay off me OK? Jeez, haven't I proven I'm your girl?"

Carol proceeded to yell at her boyfriend for a few minutes then threw the phone down into the grass, cursing loudly. Van Pelt decided to backtrack then re-approach noisily, so Carol wouldn't suspect she had been overheard. Switching off her phone and putting it away, she advanced again.

"Carol? Carol are you back here?" called Van Pelt, walking as loudly as she could to announce herself.

Coming around the corner, she found Carol hunched down into her chair, the radio off and a tissue clutched in her shaking hand.

"Who are you? What do you want?" said Carol in a shaky voice, appearing so small and vulnerable.

"Sorry to frighten you, my name's Grace. I'm working with the police to try to wrap up this case", explained Grace. It was kind of the truth.

"Oh good. I want all of this to just go away so I can get on with my life. That man should go to jail forever for what he did to me!" Carol said meekly.

"Carol, can you tell me exactly how Mr. Jane found you and took you away with him?"

Carol sat up a bit straighter and looked the lovely Van Pelt in the eyes, employing all of her acting skills once again.

"Well I already told Detective Carlson how it all happened. Why do I have to say it all over again. I just want to forget about it now." She brought the tissue up to her remarkably dry eyes.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to tell me and lots of other people what happened to you. Then you will have to tell a judge and jury, and a whole courtroom full of strangers exactly what happened to you. You can't be scared or refuse to speak. You must tell them the truth."

Carol nodded her head and had to think hard. What exactly had she told that detective back at the SAC PD a few days ago? Remembering her story took effort! That was the problem with a lie, it was harder to remember than the truth any day.

"Go on… you don't have to be afraid… no one will hurt you anymore" murmured Van Pelt as soothingly as she could.

Carol looked towards the house, hoping her brother would materialize and break up this little meeting. Where the hell was he now just when she wanted him?

"Carol?" Van Pelt said, interrupting Carol's daydreaming. "You were going to tell me how that man found you and took you away."

"Oh, right, sure. Well, I was at the bus stop waiting for my ride and…"

'Which bus stop?"

"What?"

"Which bus stop were you standing at? What number was the stop, which street?" asked Van Pelt, her note book and pen at the ready.

"Oh, uh, it was… number 18. Yeah line 18 going downtown" she said uncertainly.

"OK, bus stop 18… go on" said Van Pelt, writing the number down. Rigsby had come around the corner quietly and was listening intently, just beyond Carol's sightline.

"Yes, and then what happened?" said Van Pelt.

"Well then he took me!" said Carol.

"How did he take you?"

"He took me! Whaddya mean how did he do it? He's bigger than me, it was easy!" Carol bit back sharply, uneasy with the way this conversation was going.

"I need details Carol" said Van Pelt.

"It's too upsetting, I can't talk about it anymore, I'm sorry!" shouted the young woman, burying her face in her tissue.

"Where were you going the day you were kidnapped?"

"Out."

"Out where? Were you meeting friends? A boyfriend maybe?" continued Van Pelt.

"No. Just out, no friends."

"But is there a boyfriend who cares about you?" nudged the persistent redhead.

Carol swivelled around in her chair and feigned indifference. "I don't have a boyfriend in this shitty town. Happy now?" she barked back.

Van Pelt sighed and closed her notebook. Standing up, she reached over and took Carol's hand, examining her wrist close up.

"It's OK, I think we're done here. You were very brave to talk to me. You did really well. I'll let myself out" she said kindly.

"We done? OK. I'm tired, I think I'll take a nap" said Carol, relieved the questions were over with.

"Thank you Carol" said Van Pelt as she turned and started to walk back towards the corner of the house. Once she got around the corner she joined Rigsby and she put her finger to her lips to signal him not to talk until they got to the car. They both got belted in and pulled away before Van Pelt let out a long breath and turned to her partner.

"Did you hear any of that?" she asked Wayne..

"Some, enough to know she is a great actress. Did she say anything useful at all?" he asked.

Holding up her phone, Van Pelt smiled broadly and pushed "play". Rigsby listened while he drove and his face registered his surprise and disgust at the revealing conversation the little liar had had with her accomplice.

"SAC PD needs to hear that recording" he said with excitement.

"I'm not sure they will allow it as evidence. She didn't know she was being recorded."

"But she would never have said any of that if she had known you were there!" he said sensibly.

"We'll play it for Lisbon and Jane's lawyer and let them decide how to proceed" Van Pelt answered him, knowing it was out of their hands anyway.

"That girl is devious" Wayne said, stating the obvious.

"I think she was making it up as she went along. I think she forgot what she told Carlson and she probably thought no one else would question her again. She's pretty naive."

"Not so naive. She actively participated in fraud. If we can find her partner and prove they are working together to frame Jane, they'll both be doing time in Federal Prison" said Rigsby.

"She was lying through her teeth about the boyfriend!" grinned Van Pelt. "If we let Cho have a go at her, she'll crumble and give up her partner just to make it stop!" she predicted.

Wayne smiled back at Grace. 'Good old Cho!"

(Lisbon and Cho)

Lisbon and Cho found the small apartment complex where Anita Johansson lived. A small dog yapped excitedly when they rang the doorbell and from within they heard a woman calling out for it to be quiet. The door opened and a small, attractive short-haired woman looked up at them in annoyance.

"Please go away. I am not going to go to your church, I will not give you a donation of only $20, buy your chocolate bars or sponsor a child in East L.A.!" she said with frustration.

"You've got us all wrong Mrs. Johansson." Lisbon and Cho held out their badges and introduced themselves.

"The CBI? Why is the CBI here? Is this about what happened to Carol? I spoke to someone at the SAC PD and he said the case was as good as closed" she said with concern. "Besides, I don't know anything at all."

"May we come in? We are not so sure the case is as good as closed, and we would very much like to talk to you about your daughter" said Lisbon, smiling kindly. Cho just gave the woman a glare that dared her to deny him entry.

"Well, Ok, just beware of the Beast!" she said, indicating the small dog who was busy licking Cho's shoes. He brushed the dog aside gently with his toe and stepped through the doorway.

"Please, sit down and I'll bring you some coffee, I just made it" she offered, flustered by all of this police business in her otherwise quiet life.

"Thank you" said Cho and Lisbon to her receding back, as she disappeared into the small kitchen. Cho looked around the living room, taking in the decor and the photos. Jane always walked a circuit in every room he entered, garnering much in the way of information about the family or suspect just from photos alone. Cho noted many photos of a much younger son and daughter with their mother, in happier times. There were no photos of a husband or father anywhere. Must have been an ugly split.

The woman came back and handed out mugs of steaming coffee and then settled down in an armchair across from them, curious as to what these people wanted now.

"Mrs. Johansson" began Lisbon, but she was cut off mid-sentence.

"It's Miss Johansson. Not Mrs. I'm not married any longer and I went back to my maiden name a long time ago" she corrected her. "But please, call me Anita."

Lisbon switched gears and continued. "I'm sorry, Miss Johansson, uh, Anita, we were hoping you could tell us a little about your daughter."

"What do you want to know? She left last year after we had a terrible fight. She was always a difficult child, so different from her brother. I always wondered if my divorce caused the wedge between us, but I really tried to be a good mother to both of my kids."

"After Carol left, what did she do?" asked Cho, his notepad at the ready.

"Do? What do you mean what did she do?" asked Anita.

"What did she do for work? Or did she continue her education for a while? Who were her friends or close associates?"

The woman glanced up at a large photo of Carol and her brother, in much happier days.

"Carol never really held a job for any length of time. She would start one low paying job but get mad at the boss or not bother to follow the rules, and then she would be fired. She just never could figure out how to get along." The woman looked up at Lisbon in worry.

"I feel like somehow it's my fault that Carol doesn't fit in. Why is her brother so successful and she just drifts along with the wrong crowd, borrowing money from me or crashing at her brother's place when she is out on the street for too long. She sees herself as a victim and then complains that the system is rigged against her? I just… I just don't understand where I went wrong. And now, she really is a victim. How will she recover from this?"

"It's not your fault Ma'am" said Cho. Miss Johansson shot him a surprised look, not expecting the quiet man to discuss her failings as a mother.

"You gave your children everything they needed to be successful. Your son is evidence of that. Sometimes we just have to come to terms with the fact that people make bad decisions, run with the wrong crowd, do bad things. Sometimes people finally figure out a better way to live and they go and have that better life. Other people… well, you can't live your daughter's life for her. She has to make her own way in the world" he said, remembering well his own time running with a street gang.

Lisbon cleared her throat and brought Miss Johansson's attention back to her again.

"Have you been in contact with your daughter recently?"

"Well, she broke up with a very nasty guy six months ago and came home all beat up. She scared me so much when she walked in that door. I was hoping that episode would be enough to convince her to turn her life around and find better friends, you know, start fresh closer to home."

"What happened when she was feeling better?" Lisbon asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"As soon as the bruises faded and she had put on some weight, she stole $100 from me and took off one morning while I was at work. I didn't hear from her again until about a month ago. She called me up and said she would pay me back the money she took."

"How did she sound on the phone?"

"Excited, happy, in love… you know, like she usually sounds before it all goes wrong. I wished her well and told her to come home and visit me sometime. She said she would bring her new man with her when she did come around. She said he was the real deal this time" Miss Johansson said sadly.

"Did she happen to mention his name Ma'am?" said Cho.

The small woman looked off in the distance, trying to remember what his name was. There had been so many men, all of them losers in her daughter's life.

"I.. I know she mentioned his name… but I just can't remember it right now. I think I wrote it down somewhere just in case he came around, so's I'd know who he was" she answered.

"If you find that piece of paper, would you please call me immediately and tell me his name?" asked Lisbon, handing her a business card.

"Sure, of course. Is that all? Like I said, I don't know anything about the kidnapping. I wish she would just come home to me!"

"I think for now she is feeling safe at her brother's place, so rest assured she is fine Miss Johansson" said Lisbon.

"Ok, thanks."

"We'll see ourselves out. Thank you for your time" said Cho, nodding politely at the woman.

Standing up Cho and Lisbon started to walk towards the door when a thought occurred to Lisbon.

"Oh, by the way, there was one more question I meant to ask you."

"Yes?"

"What is Carol's father's name? We haven't been able to track him down yet."

"Oh sorry, I should have told you. His name is Steven. Steven Hannigan. He used to work for the CBI a long time ago. He never talked about his job much. Steve worked in several departments and then left for greener pastures. I think you knew him don't you Agent Lisbon? I remember a name similar to yours… did you work with him? " asked Miss Johansson.

"Uh, yes. Yes! I do remember him. Thank you for your help Miss Johansson. Please call me when you remember Carol's boyfriend's name"."

Lisbon and Cho said their final goodbyes and left the small sad apartment, and walked in silence to their SUV.

Slamming the car door harder than necessary, Lisbon rounded on Cho.

"Hannigan! Steve Hannigan is Carol Johansson's father? How the hell didn't that come up in any report? What the hell is going on Cho?" she ranted, hitting the gas pedal and pulling out into traffic a bit faster than Cho felt was safe. He wisely said nothing.

(SAC PD)

Hannigan took the elevator back up to his floor and made his way over to his desk. He thought that seeing Patrick Jane behind bars would improve his mood, but somehow that jerk had only made Hannigan more pissed off than ever. How Jane did that was a trick Hannigan had to learn. The office was a beehive of activity. His fellow officers were busy making calls, interviewing suspects, filing reports and cruising the internet for information. Everyone had a purpose except Hannigan. Finishing off these last couple of days was pointless. No one would share any case files with him since he couldn't follow up, so really, why was he here still? Sighing heavily, he watched his soon-to-be former Boss having a heated discussion in his office, and felt envy and hatred for him in equal measure. His partner Bill Smith seemed busy with some paperwork in a file and Hannigan hoped to get an inside scoop on whatever he was working on.

"What'ya got there Smith?" he asked.

"Just the usual, forms to fill in, reports concerning the Patrick Jane case, you know, nothing special" he replied in boredom.

"Can I see the case file for a minute?" asked Hannigan, curious to know some of the details of the case that would hopefully send his nemesis to prison.

"Ahh I don't know Steve. It's not your job anymore and if Carlson finds out you're reading my case file he'll have me working nights till next summer."

"Come on. Just one peek? I hate Jane. I'd love to know what that asshole really did before I retire for good" said Hannigan. 'C'mon!" he cajoled the younger man, holding out his hand for the file.

"Oh hell, why not. You're outta here soon enough. Just don't tell Carlson I gave it to you, OK Steve?" said Smith, glad that soon his bothersome partner would be gone.

He handed the thin file folder over to Hannigan and got up to refill his coffee cup in the staff kitchen.

"Just put it back on my desk when you're done or my ass is grass" he warned Steve.

"Okey dokey' said the older man, already reading the cover page.

Hannigan sat back in his chair, reading the charges with a smile and the report of Jane's take down at the CBI. Turning a page and reading a bit more, he suddenly sat bolt upright and threw down the file. A moment later he stumbled out of his chair and ran across the room leaving the other cops watching his lumbering form with mild interest. He couldn't get to the elevator fast enough, jabbing the button with his fat finger cursing under his breath.

As he stepped off the elevator he fumbled in his coat pocket and found what he was looking for. The young security officer was surprised to see him again.

"Back so soon Detective Hannigan?"

"You're wanted upstairs. I'll watch the prisoner for a while" said Hannigan cryptically. The kid knew Hannigan and was afraid of him, so he just nodded his head and made his way over to the elevator, glad to get out of the basement and away from Hannigan for a few minutes.

Once the elevator door had closed Hannigan turned and ran towards the cells, his eyes trained on the sleeping form on the cot straight ahead of him. Grasping the key he had taken from his pocket, Hannigan slammed it into the lock on Jane's door and wrenched it open, reaching the bed in two steps.

"You bastard! You low-life scum, sonova bitch!" he screamed, grabbing Jane and hoisting him up by his shoulders. "You took my daughter you bastard!" he yelled, "You took my baby!"

Jane was jolted from his sleep to realize he was being dragged across the small space of his cell. Hannigan was in a rage, his eyes glazed and his face beet red. Before Jane could say anything to diffuse his anger, Hannigan slammed Jane against the back wall and drove his fist into his midsection, doubling Jane over, gasping for breath.

"You took my Carol!" screamed Hannigan as his fist pounded into Jane's face, knocking his head back against the concrete brick wall with a sickening crack.

"Stop! Stop!" Jane croaked in a strangled voice, blood filling his mouth. "I didn't take her Hannigan! I didn't take her!" he said before another blow landed, this time dropping him to his knees.

"You think you're so smart don't ya? Hey? The man who knows every damned thing. Well you don't take my kid and walk away. You don't get to walk away from me" he said, driving his knee into Jane's back, laying him out flat on the floor. "I'll kill you for hurting my girl you pervert! You sick bastard!" Hannigan screamed down at his prey, his booted foot kicking at Jane's curled body.

"Stop…. Stop Steve please… I… I didn't do this.." said Jane weakly as the blows continued to rain down on his head and back. Hannigan's rage had not run its' course yet, such was his shock at what the report revealed. His own daughter had been kidnapped and abused and he had not known. Looking down at Jane's body splayed on the cement floor, Hannigan wanted to take his gun and shoot him on the spot, but his service weapon was under lock and key upstairs. With tears streaming down his tortured face, he reached down and grabbed Jane under his arms and stood him up again for a further pummeling. Jane vainly tried to lift his arms up to protect his body when the huge fist hit his ribs. Wincing from the pain, Jane braced himself for more, but the punching stopped. As Hannigan drew his arm back to hurl another blow at his enemy, large hands suddenly grabbed his fist and pulled him away from his semi-conscious victim. Jane slid down onto the floor again and didn't move. Hannigan was out of control and fought against his captors, desperate to continue his revenge against the monster who hurt his little girl. It was pure blind rage.

The security guard had gone upstairs to Carlson's office to find out why he was wanted. When he told Carlson that Hannigan had sent him and was currently with Jane again, the detective had stormed out of his office in anger, leaving the confused young officer standing there alone. Carlson was tired of Hannigan and his antics. He had to make him stop pestering Jane and just go home. Why he wanted Hannigan to work these last few days he couldn't remember, but he was sorry he had been so generous. He called for backup in case Hannigan got difficult and headed downstairs to talk some sense into the older man. But Carlson didn't know that Hannigan had a daughter. He had no idea of the anguish that report had caused his troubled employee. When Carlson arrived at Jane's cell, Hannigan was beating the man senseless. Hannigan struggled against the cops now holding him, crying out in rage and hurt, his eyes never leaving Jane's inert body. Just one more kick, just one more punch to the solar plexus and the bastard would regret ever looking at Carol Johansson!

"Steve! Steve stop!" Carlson yelled, trying to bring Hannigan back into the present. Hannigan stared at Carlson and finally whispered "he took her Bob… he took my Carol". Carlson just said "OK Steve, it's OK now." At that, all the fight went out of him and he cried like a baby. Carlson had no choice but had to handcuff Hannigan, who would now be up on charges for his vicious attack on a prisoner under Carlson's watch. What was worse, the whole attack had been captured on the jail house video cameras. Carlson didn't know what Hannigan's story was, but he had to do his duty now, no matter how distasteful it was to him and his department.

Two officers bent over Jane and found him unconscious and bleeding badly. A call went out for an ambulance and Hannigan was taken away for processing. Carlson sat on Jane's bed and surveyed the destroyed cell and the prone man on the floor. God what a crapstorm this was turning out to be!


	8. Black And Blue

Thanks go out to everyone who reviewed the last long chapter. Just lovely to read them!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 8

Black and Blue

Lisbon drove through downtown traffic as quickly as she could, the information about Hannigan's relationship with Carol Johansson ramping up her worry for Jane. Just how many people were in on this plan to destroy Jane? Cursing at the slow pace of traffic, she hit the horn trying to bully her way through. Cho had watched her mounting frustration and finally reached under the seat for the portable blue and red flashing police light. Opening his window he stretched out his arm and put the light on the top of the SUV.

"Hit the siren Boss. We'll get through in half the time" he deadpanned. Lisbon nodded and hit the button, the SUV now screaming and flashing its' way through the rapidly parting traffic jam. Ten minutes later they pulled up at the SAC PD to find an ambulance outside the building and a crowd of curious onlookers peeking out of the front windows. Getting a sick feeling in her stomach, Lisbon took off at a run with Cho close behind. Running through security with her badge out, she ignored the shouts from the guard to stop. Just as she got to the elevator, the door slid open and a gurney was pulled through by two EMT's. Taking a look at the patient, Cho and Lisbon were horrified to see Jane's swollen and bleeding face. He was out cold. Carlson stepped out of the elevator and met Lisbon's haunted eyes.

"Agent Lisbon… I'm so sorry…" he began.

"What the hell happened to him? What did you do to him?" she screamed as they followed the gurney.

"It was Hannigan. Hannigan read the case file and went ballistic. He got into Jane's cell and beat him" Carlson said in shame. "I didn't even know Hannigan had a daughter. He never talked about his family. He only just found out about the kidnapping."

"This is a setup Carlson! Someone wants Patrick Jane destroyed and sent away for the rest of his life. You need to dig deeper and find out who has it in for him" she shouted, her anger barely contained by her professionalism.

"The chair has her DNA on it" he started to explain lamely, but Cho cut him off.

"So find out who put the chair in the house. Find out who she worked with." Standing toe to toe with the Detective, Cho glared at him and saw only incompetence. "This isn't your first case Carlson. Do your job or it will be your last case. We'll make sure of that" he stated without emotion, then turned to join Lisbon running after the EMT's. Carlson stopped in his tracks and watched the receding forms of the two CBI agents. A bad feeling was creeping up in his gut. What if they were right all along?

Lisbon sat in the passenger seat of the SUV and Cho automatically got behind the wheel, following the ambulance. Lisbon needed to think and come to terms with all that had happened in the last 24 hours. There were clues scattered all around if anyone just bothered to gather them up and make some sense out of them. If Jane were here what would he see in the evidence so far? Obviously Hannigan was not a suspect now, since he went off the deep end as soon as he discovered his daughter was the kidnapping victim. Was he so out of touch with his family that no one told him about her abduction? Crossing him off the suspect list, it was still growing longer even without Hannigan. The ringing of her cell phone jarred Lisbon out of her musings and she grabbed it before it went to voicemail.

"Van Pelt?"

"Hi Boss. We just got that rush lab report. You were right, the handkerchief was doused in a chemical that might make your nose run and your eyes tear up uncontrollably. Good guess on that one!"

"Congratulate Jane, he figured it out, not me" said Lisbon glumly. "Wait a minute… might? What do you mean Van Pelt?"

"The handkerchief was doused in a solution of water and onion juice, not strong enough to smell very bad, but strong enough for someone with an extreme sensitivity to onions to react to. If our victim has a food sensitivity to onions, we have our proof that she planned her actions to fool all of us" said Van Pelt.

"Onion juice? It's just that simple? "

"Seems to be."

"That's why my eyes teared up when I sniffed the handkerchief… I can't tolerate onions myself!" said Lisbon.

"Tell Jane he scored a goal" said Van Pelt with a smile in her voice. "How is he Boss?"

Lisbon sighed and knew her team had to be told about his injuries. "He got badly beaten by Det. Steve Hannigan at the SAC PD jail. Turns out Hannigan is Carol Johansson's father and he only just found out that his daughter is the one that Jane supposedly kidnapped and abused. He went nuts and attacked Jane."

'Oh my God! Is Jane alright?"

"Too soon to say, we're following the ambulance to St. Marks Hospital right now. If you and Rigsby meet us there we could compare notes and see what we have learned so far today."

"OK Boss… see you soon" said Grace, clearly rattled by this shocking news.

"There better be some good news coming out of all of this Cho. So far things are just going from bad to worse."

Cho looked over at Lisbon and nodded imperceptibly.

Cho pulled the black SUV into the hospital parking lot and jogged behind Lisbon as she rushed into the Emergency department. After being rebuffed by a busy nurse who wasn't interested in finding Patrick Jane on her list of new admissions, Cho flashed his badge and glared at the woman until she suddenly remembered which room Jane had been taken to. They found the corridor where he had been taken and searched until they found his curtained cubicle. A nurse and doctor were attending to him when they stepped into the cramped space.

"Please leave, I'm with a patient" the doctor said, not unkindly, before turning back to Jane.

"I'm Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon, this is Agent Kimball Cho of the CBI, and this is one of our agents. For his own protection we intend to stay as close to him as we can" she announced, not allowing any discussion.

"I told those other police officers to stay back Agent Lisbon, why not you?" said the doctor, indicating the two SAC PD officers standing close to the curtained area.

"This man works for me, not them. He is under my care" she lied, hoping Jane would not be re-handcuffed to the bed once he woke up.

Sighing at the confusing state of affairs, the doctor gave up and allowed them to stand at the edge of the cubicle, well out of his way. Jane was beginning to move around, consciousness finally starting making its' way back. He had obvious marks of a beating on his chest, back, arms, legs and face. A nurse was stitching up a wound on his cheek and checking his head for lumps and bumps, finding a large one on the back of his head.

"I want a full chem screen, blood taken, x-rays of his back and chest, and a neuro workup" said the doctor to his nurse. Soon more people entered the small room and took Jane off for further tests and scans, followed closely by the SAC PD officers. The doctor now could turn his attention to Lisbon and Cho. Lisbon identified herself as the person designated by Jane to be his medical advocate.

"Your officer has suffered a concussion. He has sustained a significant blow to the head which we need to be concerned about. He is covered with severe bruising which will cause quite a bit of pain as he regains consciousness. We will check for broken ribs and internal injuries. Once he is fully awake we can assess his neurological condition. I would say he is in serious but not critical condition, at least at the moment."

"Will you let me know when we can speak to him?" asked Lisbon.

"Check in with the nurse at the station and she will find you when Mr. Jane is brought back and put into a room. We'll discuss his progress then" said the doctor, who then left to tend to other urgent care patients.

Lisbon and Cho left the room to find a waiting area, followed closely by the unnerving presence of two more SAC PD officers. When they finally got seated, Rigsby and Van Pelt arrived, hot coffees in hand for all. Close on their heels was Detective Carlson. Spying Lisbon, he waved her over and took her to a quiet corner of the room for a talk.

"So how is he?" he asked.

"He is seriously hurt, no thanks to you and your men!" barked Lisbon, seething with anger.

"When will he be released back into my custody?" asked Carlson without tact.

Lisbon stared at him incredulously. "When will he be released? Back into your custody? Are you crazy Carlson? He isn't going anywhere near SAC PD any time soon, thanks to Hannigan. And no matter what, I'm going to make sure he never sets foot in your police department again. I am assuming responsibility for Jane. Consider him in my protective custody from this moment on" she spat out at him.

"No way… your boyfriend doesn't get to come home and play nice with you after he gets a bandaid here. He belongs to me and the SAC PD, and I intend for him to go back to my jail as soon as the good doctor here releases him."

"You don't get it do you Carlson? You've had Jane in your custody for only 24 hours, and in that time he has been tasered, attacked in an elevator, and nearly beaten to death, all at the hands of the kind officers of the SAC PD. If I have to get a ruling from a Judge today to remove Jane from your custody for his own safety, you bet your ass I will!"

Laughing at the small woman's anger, Carlson couldn't help but mock her hopes of gaining custody of his prisoner.

"Yeah why don't you try that Agent Lisbon. See how far you get with a Judge. He'll throw you outta his chambers! But good luck anyway."

Turning away from Carlson because she couldn't stand to look at him anymore, Lisbon stalked back to her colleagues and sat hunched over in discussion with them. Van Pelt and Rigsby told her about their visit to Jim Johansson's house, the strange phone call Carol had made to her boyfriend and partner, and Carol's fine bit of acting. Lisbon told them about the visit to Miss Johansson and the breakdown of the family. It was becoming apparent that the case would fall apart unless they could find the boyfriend and prove how he and Carol had set up Jane. A motive would be nice too.

Carlson had started to approach her to argue some more, but thought better of it. His time and resources could be better used guarding his prisoner, Jane.

It took some effort and blustering on his part, but Carlson got his way. When Jane was brought back to a private room, he was firmly handcuffed to his bed, with a SAC PD officer stationed outside his room. The nurse in charge found Lisbon and her team and informed her that Jane was in his room. Lisbon, Cho, Van Pelt and Rigsby got up as one and made their way towards Jane's floor. Getting off the elevator they spied a large SAC PD officer standing guard outside his room.

"We'll wait outside Boss, you go in and see how he is" suggested Cho, eyeing the cop on duty with disdain.

"Thanks, I won't be long" she agreed. As she started to push on the door the officer stepped in front of her and blocked her entry.

"Get out of my way" she snarled.

"No can do. Carlson said the prisoner is to have no visitors" said the cop with obvious pleasure.

"Carlson can go to hell. I'm this man's Boss, and he was beaten on Carlson's watch. Do you really think I trust you with Jane's safety? Get outta my way!" she said, shoving the surprised man aside. As he made to grab Lisbon's arm, Cho and Rigsby stepped forward and put their bodies between Lisbon and the cop.

"Don't even think of it" growled Cho.

"Get your hands off Senior Agent Lisbon" warned Rigsby.

The man looked at the group of angry CBI agents and decided that four against one was a battle he didn't want to engage in. He waved Lisbon through and leaned back against the wall, his resentment festering like an old wound. Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt stood directly opposite the man, leaning against the far wall, glaring at him. If looks could kill...

Lisbon stepped quietly into Jane's room and stared in anguish at his bruised and beaten body, the white hospital sheet pulled up to his waist. He moved restlessly, semi-conscious and hooked up to an IV line administering pain killers. His face was swollen and cut, blackened and bruised, the hallmarks of a harsh beating evident on every surface of his otherwise beautiful face. She walked over to his bed and pulled up a chair, sitting close to him and reached for his hand. When it couldn't be moved, she glanced down and saw the shiny silver handcuff holding his wrist securely to the railings of the bed. The handcuff was adding to his confusion and anxiety. Anger rushed through her as she saw him victimized yet again. There was no way he was a risk to flee and go into hiding. Good God, the man was unable to get up and walk let alone run away from the law. Lisbon took out her phone and started to take photos of Jane, then dialed a number with shaking hands.

"Hello? Judge Marshall? It's Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon of the CBI. Fine, thank you. Yes, sorry to disturb you but I have an urgent request. I need to speak with you as soon as possible. Yes! It is a matter of life and death. You can? I appreciate it. Thank you! Yes, I'll be there soon. Goodbye Judge."

Lisbon leaned over Jane and studied him for a few more minutes. If she could possibly get him released into her care, she was going to make that happen. Today. Screw Carlson!


	9. Changing Of The Guard

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 9

Changing Of The Guard

Carol lay on the sofa killing time, watching daytime TV. She was bored silly and couldn't wait to run away with her boyfriend Boyd. He was smart and handsome and she felt sure her life was on the verge of improving now that they were a team. Hearing the doorbell, she ran to the front door, and peeked through the spy hole in the door. She was shocked to see her handsome boyfriend on the other side. She quickly unlocked the door and hustled him inside, looking out into the street to see if any neighbours had seen him come in the house.

"Hi baby!" she squealed in delight. "What are you doing here? I thought we were going to lay low for a while before we took off together" she stated, confused by his sudden appearance.

"I missed you kiddo. You know I can't go long without some of your sweetness all over me!" he grinned lasciviously.

"Well I got plenty to go 'round Boyd!' she teased him, wiggling her butt as she scampered back into the living room and flounced down on the sofa.

Boyd followed her slowly while he looked around the house, liking what he saw. "Nice house your brother lives in. How'd he get so rich?" he asked.

"Uh… he's not rich… just up to his ass in mortgage payments. Between his house, his snotty rug rat kids and his wife, he's gonna be in the poorhouse forever" she said.

"No, you're wrong honey. He's doing alright if he can live in this neighbourhood." He fingered some figurines on the fireplace mantle and ran his hand over some expensive knick knacks. Getting an idea he said " Why don't you take me on a tour of the house?"

"Ah... no Boyd, we shouldn't. What if Jim comes home early? Or the babysitter comes in with the kids? We don't want anyone to see you" Carol warned him.

Boyd stopped inspecting the room, turned and stared at the young woman who dared to disagree with him. He walked over to Carol, grabbing her by her arm and hauled her to her feet. "I said take me for a tour. I decide what to do now that I'm here!" he warned her.

Carol backed off and readily agreed with him. "OK Boyd. No problem. Come this way" she said, afraid to set him off. She loved him but he had a temper as short as a flea's whisker. Boyd strolled through the kitchen and opened the fridge door. Spying a beer, he took it and smashed it open against the edge of the counter, popping the cap off with a loud crack. Carol looked at the counter and noticed a chunk missing on the edge where the cap had gouged it. She didn't say anything, afraid Boyd would be upset. He made his way down the hall and headed up the stairs to the second level, with Carol following along like a puppy. Checking out the kids' bedrooms, he took a plastic jet and played with it as he continued his parade down the hall towards Jim's master bedroom.

"Well lookey here Carol my love! Now this is a bed!" he announced as he walked into the large well-appointed bedroom. He flung himself into the middle of the king sized bed. He lay back into the pillows and beckoned her with his index finger to join him.

Carol stood beside the bed, not moving closer, nervous at the boldness of her boyfriend. What was he playing at? "No Boyd, we shouldn't. Jim will know someone has been in here. We should go!" she said, inching towards the door.

"What's the matter? Don't you know how to make a bed Carol? We can have a little fun and then you make up the bed, good as new. Jimmy boy will never know we christened his mothership!" he laughed as he leaned forward and grabbed Carol, pulling her down onto his chest.

"Let's get all those nasty clothes off you baby…" he cooed, pawing at her t-shirt and tugging on her pants.

"No Boyd! Let's go!" she struggled. Boyd sat up and pushed her down on the mattress, hitting her square in the face with the back of his hand. "You do as I say baby and we'll do just fine. I'll give you one minute or else there will be hell to pay!"

Carol quickly shrugged out of her clothes and lay back, Boyd on top of her grunting and sweating, stopping occasionally for a swig of beer. Some of it spilled on the cover, but he was otherwise engaged and never noticed. Carol really loved Boyd, but no matter what she did, he never seemed to show her the same love she felt for him. But she knew that once this whole mess with Jane was over, and they could both relax, Boyd would finally treat her right. She just knew it in her heart.

(Courthouse)

Lisbon told her team what she was up to and they agreed to stay close to Jane for his own protection against the SAC PD. 'Cops protecting one of their own against other cops… how sad was that' she thought as she drove towards Judge Marshall's chambers.

It took a good half hour before the black SUV pulled up to the courthouse and Lisbon made her way into the old building. She had always had a good relationship with the Judge but had never made such an unusual request of the woman before. Judge Marshall was old school, a by the book woman but a kind woman. Lisbon was hoping the charitable side of the Judge's personality would win the day for the CBI.

A few minutes later and Lisbon was ensconced in a plush red leather chair in the Judge's private chambers. The woman had feminized the rather austere office with splashes of colour and many photos of her large family. It was this sense of family Lisbon was hoping would sway the Judge to rule in Lisbon's favour. The door swung open and an attractive Asian woman entered the room, her black robes billowing behind her. As soon as she came in she unbuttoned her robe and hung it up on a hook behind her desk and slipped off her sensible shoes.

"Anybody tells you a Judge doesn't get sore feet sitting on the bench all day doesn't have my feet!" she said with a smile, extending her hand to shake Lisbon's.

"How are you Agent Lisbon?"

"I'm fine Judge, thank you."

"So what is it that is so important that I had to see you today?" the Judge asked.

"Your Honour, recently there was a reported kidnapping of a young woman. She was able to identify her kidnapper from a lineup and from photos provided by the SAC PD."

"So, that's a good thing" said the Judge sensibly.

"It would seem so, but the young woman in this case identified my CBI Consultant, Patrick Jane, as her attacker."

The Judge leaned forward, taken aback at this news. "Patrick Jane kidnapped a young woman?"

"No Your Honour, he did not. We believe more and more that it was a setup, that he is being framed."

"Agent Lisbon! I am not hearing this! You didn't tell me and I didn't hear it!" said the Judge, knowing she could not be told this information outside of a trial situation.

"Sorry to put you in a bad position but I am telling you this for a very good reason. Mr. Jane was arrested at the CBI by SAC PD detectives. Before he was even out of the building he was assaulted twice by those officers, once with a taser for no reason!"

"Lisbon, you do know that this amounts to hearsay. I'm sure the SAC PD will have a different opinion about Jane's treatment at their hands" she said.

"I understand that, yes, they will dispute my story. But once Mr. Jane was in custody at the SAC PD, in less than 24 hours, he was attacked again and severely beaten by another one of their detectives."

"Is this hearsay again Agent Lisbon?" asked the wary Judge.

Fishing out her phone from her bag, Lisbon pulled up the photos of Jane, unconscious and battered, handcuffed to the hospital bed.

"Does this look like hearsay to you Judge Marshall?" asked Lisbon, passing over her phone.

The Judge looked at several photos that Lisbon had taken of Jane's face, his torso and his arms, all blackened and bleeding. Her face revealing nothing, the Judge handed the phone back to Lisbon and sat back in her chair.

'When were these photos taken?"

"An hour ago Your Honour."

'And when did you say your consultant was taken into custody by the SAC PD?"

"Yesterday Your Honour."

"And just what do you want me to do Agent Lisbon?"

Lisbon took a deep breath and prayed silently that God was on her side.

"I am requesting that you place Patrick Jane into the custody of the CBI, when he is well enough to be released from the hospital. I fear for his well-being if he remains with the SAC PD. I would make sure he is held in custody, but with care and respect until his arraignment Your Honour, where he will plead innocent to these charges."

Lisbon watched the Judge for any sign that she might agree to this strange request. She didn't have to do anything at all and she would be within her rights to deny this to Lisbon.

"How is Mr. Jane now Agent Lisbon?"

"He is very ill Your Honour. The doctor stated his condition as serious, but that can be upgraded or downgraded depending upon the results of tests they are currently doing."

"Has Mr. Jane regained consciousness at all since the attack?"

"No Your Honour. He suffered a serious head injury."

"What became of the man who beat Mr. Jane?"

'He has been arrested Your Honour."

Judge Marshall nodded her head and gazed at a photo of her children, seeing love and caring and support in that family portrait. Those were principles that she believed in, why she went into law in the first place. But pitting one police department against the other was a risky business, sure to cause long simmering resentments for many years to come. And Jane, the man in question, could turn out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. The Judge weighed all sides of her conflicting opinions while Lisbon nervously twisted the strap of her shoulder bag between her fingers.

Finally the Judge stood up, signalling that the meeting had come to an end.

"Your Honour?" said Lisbon, hoping for a judgement in her favour.

"Agent Lisbon, you came to me with a very odd request today, one for the record books. After some consideration I am going to agree to your request. Your well earned reputation for respecting the law, and your very well founded fears for the wellbeing of your employee, regardless of his current legal situation, persuades me to allow you to take charge of Mr. Jane. He will be your responsibility from this moment on, until he is either found guilty as charged, or exonerated of this crime. I will have a letter drawn up for Detective Carlson which will emailed to him, with a copy to his Captain."

Lisbon was so relieved she would have hugged the woman, but she didn't dare push her luck!

"Thank you Your Honour. When Mr. Jane is well enough to be moved he will be put into CBI custody. Thank you so much!" she smiled as both she and the Judge walked out together.

"Good luck Agent Lisbon. I wish you well, no matter how this ends up for Mr. Jane" she said kindly.

Lisbon ran to her SUV with much lighter steps than when she had entered the courthouse. Now to get back to the hospital and dismiss Carlson and his goons.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Patrick was in a fog. His brain was relentlessly banging a big drum and he felt like he had been run over by a truck. He was not fully awake, but not completely unconscious either. There was no up or down, day or night, just a strange limbo that he couldn't break out of. He still lay restlessly in his bed, unaware of the group of police officers outside his door, all of them watching each other suspiciously. He just dozed on.

Lisbon got back to the hospital in record time, eager to tell her team that they would take over Jane's custody. Carlson would be pissed, but so what? If he had done his job right in the first place none of them would be wasting time standing around a hospital waiting for Jane to wake up. At least Lisbon assumed he had not yet awakened. She wanted to be there when he opened his eyes and saw a friendly face, not Carlson sneering at him. She took the elevator up to Jane's floor and hurried down the hall to the group of police officers watching each other. Cho had perfected the art of staring at the SAC PD officer, who was completely unnerved by the intense Korean man.

"How's Jane?" asked Lisbon as soon as she reached her team.

"We don't know anything yet. There's a nurse in with him now so maybe she can fill you in" said Van Pelt. As if on cue, the door opened and an older woman came out. Before she could walk away, Lisbon approached her for information. The nurse would not discuss her patient until she was assured that Lisbon was listed as his medical advocate should he become ill or disabled.

"Mr. Jane is becoming restless and appears to be on the verge of waking up. His pain is under control so far, until he can tell us otherwise."

"Can I go in and sit with him?" asked Lisbon.

"Yes, just don't stay too long OK?" said the nurse, eyeing the impressive group of cops with some concern.

"Thanks" agreed Lisbon, before turning to the CBI agents and the lone SAC PD cop.

"Mr. Jane is now in the custody of the CBI, for his own safety" Lisbon announced to the group of officers. An angry retort was about to be hurled at her by the SAC cop standing guard until Lisbon cut him off.

"Judge Marshall has agreed to turn this prisoner over to my care. Detective Carlson has been informed and as of this minute, you are dismissed" Lisbon informed him. "You will take the handcuff off Mr. Jane immediately."

When the SAC cop started to complain about the change, Cho stepped up to him and dared him to fight the Judge's order. "It's out of your hands. If you want to break a court order, go ahead." Cho glared at the cop and saw him back down just fractionally.

"That's what I thought. Go back to work and leave this to us" he summed up, turning around and walking away from the young cop. A moment later the SAC officer took out his handcuff key and as the CBI agents watched, he angrily unlocked the cuff on Jane's wrist and put it back into it's holder on his belt. Then he stalked out of the room and turned down the hallway, taking the elevator down, confused at the turn of events but secretly glad to be done with this boring assignment.

"Uh… Boss, has Carlson been informed of the Judge's decision?" asked Rigsby nervously.

"I dunno" said Lisbon. "But he'll find out any minute now" she smirked as she pushed the door open and disappeared into the hospital room.

Jane was much more animated now, moving his arms and legs around in the bed, his eyes rolling around under his eyelids, fighting to surface from his concussed state. Lisbon stood at his bedside and took his hand in hers. She ran her fingers over his bruised arm and took in his disfigured face, his bruising really coming out as the hours passed. A small bandaid covered the stitches on his cheek.

"Jane, wake up. It's Lisbon. Wake up Jane" she said softly.

Jane stilled momentarily then resumed his random movements, his eyes and face busy working at the difficult process of waking up. Speaking to him again, Lisbon encouraged him to relax and just open his eyes. It took several more minutes of this and then, suddenly, his blue/green eyes were open, searching for her face.

"Hello Jane" Lisbon smiled.

"Hi" he smiled back, then quickly stopped as an "Owww!" escaped his lips. His head hurt!

"It's OK. Don't talk if it hurts Jane, just listen to me" she told him. Even nodding his head in agreement was painful as his headache was one for the record books.

"S'OK" he mumbled, glad to see her beautiful face instead of Carlson's.

"Are you in a lot of pain? Where does it hurt the most?" she asked.

"Everywhere… my head… big headache" he said softly, not moving his jaw much.

"I'll let the nurse know. Jane, I went to see Judge Marshall and convinced her to turn you over to my custody. As of this minute you are my prisoner, so to speak. When you get out of the hospital, you don't have to go back to jail at the SAC police department. No more Carlson."

"Atta girl…" Jane said with pride. "Still a prisoner though?"

Lisbon looked ashamed at the sound of the word, but it was true. He was still accused of a terrible crime and was still under arrest, needing to be incarcerated at least until his arraignment, and possible imprisonment in a Federal prison. That much had not changed.

"Still under arrest, yes. But maybe not for long I hope. We've done some digging and came up with some interesting evidence. You were right about the handkerchief. It was a prop, soaked in onion juice to make the girl cry. I'll find out if she has a food sensitivity to onions from her mother. She also has a partner, a boyfriend who seems to be pulling the strings in this whole scam."

"Name?"

"Sorry, we don't have a name yet, nor a motive. We don't know why this girl and some guy would both want to do this to you Jane. But we're working on it."

Jane nodded ever so slightly, forgetting for a moment his aching brain.

"CCTV security tapes of my street, house? Show anything?"

Lisbon shook her head. "We checked for any security tapes at local businesses around your street, and asked for any tapes your neighbours might have, but nothing unusual has shown up. The cameras were not aimed at your house, so no proof of anyone else coming and going to your property. We canvassed the neighbourhood but no one remembers seeing anyone other than you at the house. Sorry Jane."

"Hmmm...need the partner and his story" mumbled Jane. "Set a trap."

"What kind of trap?" asked Lisbon.

Jane rolled his eyes at her. Did he have to do everything? "Figure it out Boss."

"Be nice. You belong to me now, courtesy of Judge Marshall."

"About time" he grinned, but quickly regretted it when his bruised face screamed its' disapproval.

"Leave it to us, we'll get him Jane. We'll get them both and you'll be free again. Just be patient" she asked of him.

"Yes ma'am…" he deadpanned, looking down at his multi-coloured body, bruises attesting to his recent beating.

"Just rest, and don't be in your usual hurry to get out of the hospital. This is much nicer than the cell you will have to stay in back at the CBI. So milk it for all it's worth!" she advised him.

"Not much of a choice is it?" he frowned, hating hospitals, but hating jail ever more. "I'll be good."

"Thanks. I need you stay here and don't pull a runner. I am responsible for you now, got it?"

"Yes, and thank you Lisbon."

Lisbon got up and headed for the door. "As soon as I know more, I'll let you know" and then she was gone.

Jane got busy trying to figure out the scam, examining it from all angles. Eventually the effort had worn him out completely and he was again sleeping deeply, his current predicament temporarily forgotten.


	10. Best of Enemies

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 10

Best of Enemies

Carlson was trying to enjoy his coffee and bagel, but the crap storm that Hannigan had created was making his stomach twist up into knots. Damn that man! Just a few more days and he would have been out of his police station and someone else's worry. Now there would be a criminal charge against Hannigan and a full Internal Affairs investigation into why this had happened on Captain Burney's watch. The fact that his Captain was going to rain fire down on his ass for letting this happen just made his life even more irritating. Sighing in frustration, he picked up his phone to see who was sending him a text. Judge Marshall's office? At the Courthouse? That bitch Lisbon! Did she follow through on her threat to pull him from custodial care of Jane? He stabbed at his phone and the text came up.

Sonnova bitch, she did do it! Lisbon now was responsible for Jane and would be taking him to the CBI jail when he was well enough to be out of the hospital. Could this day get any worse? Just as this thought occurred to Carlson, Captain Burney appeared in the bullpen. "Carlson, my office - now!"

Carlson threw his cellphone onto his desk and heaved himself out of his chair, the bagel now feeling like a lump of cement in his stomach. The Captain looked like someone had just killed his new puppy, and Carlson knew he was about to get the lecture of his life. Would this day from hell never end?

(Jim Johansson's House)

Boyd lay in Jim Johansson's big King sized bed and relaxed, his 'playtime' with Carol had given him the outlet for his stress and frustration and let her know who was boss, again. Carol had gotten up and was buzzing around the room in anxiety, afraid her brother would come home at any minute. Boyd was playing a perverse game of 'catch me if you can' by still being in the house, let alone reclining in someone else's bed!

Carol paced the room and kept checking the bedroom window, looking for the family to return home.

"Stop that! You're making me nuts!" yelled Boyd. Carol eyed him with caution and stepped away from the large bedroom window.

"We should go. We should at least get downstairs and you should leave through the back door Boyd" she dared to suggest. Boyd knew she was right, he was pushing his luck, but damn! It was fun watching her squirm! Throwing his feet off the bedspread he stood up and adjusted his pants.

"OK. You win kiddo. Let's go" he said, leaving the crumpled mess of a bed behind. Carol ran over to the bed and quickly straightened the cover, then rushed to catch up to Boyd as he made his way back to the front hall. Reaching for the front door handle, he turned to say his goodbyes to her.

"Shouldn't you go out the back Boyd? What if someone sees you leave?" Carol suggested. Boyd bit back a acid-tongued remark and realized she had a point. Walking back down the hall, he exited through the back kitchen door. Turning to Carol, he grabbed her for a quick kiss and started to leave.

"I'll be back soon darlin'" he said with a sly smile. Carol felt her heart leap at the word 'darling'. God he played her like a fiddle, but she wanted love so badly from a man she would take what she could get.

"OK Boyd. See you soon" she agreed, watching him saunter away through the backyard to the street behind the house. No one had seen him, of that she was quite sure. She turned and rushed into the house, making sure everything looked normal and untouched. If Jim only knew what had gone on under his roof today…

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane had fallen into a relaxed sleep after Lisbon left. Just knowing he didn't have to return to the SAC PD jail was enough to let him lower his defences and slip into much needed sleep. Unfortunately, his doctor had other plans. The door to his room opened and Dr. Simard entered with Jane's test results in his hand. Seeing Jane asleep, he cleared his throat to see if he could arouse him. Was his patient asleep or still unconscious? He shook Jane's arm and rubbed his sternum. That got a reaction! Jane startled at being shaken and suddenly woke up. He looked around the room, forgetting where he was for a moment. Then his pounding headache returned with a vengeance at his sudden transition from sleeping to wakefulness.

"Sorry for the rude awakening Mr. Jane. When you have a head injury, we have to wake you up frequently until we are sure you are out of danger" apologized the doctor.

"Ahhh… yup… need to wake up. Thanks" said Jane with irony. How often had he prayed for sleep, and now when he finally achieved his goal, a doctor of all people woke him up again!

"It's nice to see you awake!" the doctor said blithely, eager to share his news with his improving patient. He took a moment to check Jane's pupils, to see if they were equal and reactive to light. "I have the results of your x-rays and scans." Not waiting for a response from the still sleepy Jane, he continued.

"You have a couple of cracked ribs, which will heal in time on their own. Just be gentle with yourself for the next few weeks."

"Will do…" said Jane, remembering how he got those cracked ribs while in so called 'protective custody'.

"Your concussion was a pretty good one, as evidenced by your fairly long unconscious state, but there was no skull fracture. We will do some neurological testing now that you are completely awake to see if there is any residual damage to your memory or mobility. I guess you have a nasty headache?" he asked. Jane just nodded, keeping his speaking to a minimum. "That's to be expected. We will make some changes to your medication to deal with that. Keep taking your pain meds and it will help. I must caution you to be careful now. A bad concussion can lead to future brain injuries, and if you get hit again in the head, the damage could be permanent."

Jane nodded his understanding of the situation. Now if he could just get other people to stop hitting him things would be looking up.

Resting his hand on Jane's chest, Dr. Simard examined the various spots where Hannigan's fist had left its' marks. "Your bruising is mostly tissue damage, although some of the blows you sustained are bone bruises, which will take a fairly long time to heal."

"A bone bruise? Is that even a real thing?" asked Jane with skepticism.

"Just imagine a fresh, very tender bruise on your body. If you touch it, it is very sore. Now imagine a blow to your bones that is so great that it bruises the bone right down to the marrow. It happens more than you would think. It can sometimes take up to a year for the pain to disappear completely" said the doctor, reviewing his chart. "But physical therapy, electric current therapy, both can help immensely. I can set up therapy sessions for you once you are released from the hospital" suggested the doctor, forgetting completely that his patient might soon be in jail for a very long time. "I hope you have a good mattress as that will help keep the pain down to a manageable amount."

"Ok" said Jane, feeling every one of those bruises with each slight movement, and remembering the paper thin mattress in his jail cell.

"With rest and gentle movement, I expect you to make a complete recovery Mr. Jane. It will just take some time and patience."

"Well I might have a lot of time on my hands in the near future, but patience I ran out of a long time ago" said Jane with regret. "How long will I be in here?" he asked before the doctor bustled back out the door.

"We want to do your neurological workup soon, maybe even later today, so it will be a day or two before you can get out of here. But your job is just to relax and get well Mr. Jane. You need complete rest even when you go home. Don't overextend yourself working or doing anything else. Take it easy, OK?" he smiled, then he was gone.

Jane smirked at the irony of the situation. Muttering the doctor's words to himself, he couldn't help but wonder where this so-called quiet, restful recuperation would take place. Would he be reclining uncomfortably in a jail cell at the CBI, the threadbare sheets and narrow cot not aiding in his recovery? Or would he be moved to a prison cell, making the acquaintance of cellmate who would not be happy to be sharing his space with a CBI consultant. Or, just maybe, the Judge would grant him bail and he would finally make it back to his small motel room, or better yet, the attic at the CBI, where he could shut out the world and figure out just what the hell was going on. Jane ran his hand over his face and winced at bumping into his fresh stitches. Jeez Hannigan had a great left hook!

Mr. Costa had been shocked to learn at the SAC PD that Mr. Jane had been assaulted and was now in the hospital. He drove over to St Marks and made his way up to his client's room. The head of Jane's bed was raised up slightly, as sitting up completely made his headache pound and his vision swim. His memory was mostly OK, but the beating had caused some recent memories to be a bit spotty. The attack in the cell was a mish mash of images and feelings, but much of it was still unattainable when he tried to recall it. Knocking on Jane's door, Mr. Costa was told to enter. When he saw Jane, he was taken aback at the condition of the man he had just met yesterday morning. This man was barely recognizable, with his swollen face and bruises every colour of the rainbow.

"Mr. Jane? Are you well enough for a visit?" he asked cautiously.

Jane raised a finger and waved him closer to the bed. The lawyer came over and pulled up a chair, clearly shocked and trying to gather himself together to address his client.

"Thanks for coming Mr. Costa" said Jane quietly, his head pounding with each word.

"I'm sorry to find you in this condition Mr. Jane" he said, his mind working overtime considering the lawsuit Jane could bring against the SAC police department, Captain Burney, Carlson and Hannigan and the city of Sacramento. He actually believed his client would win a large settlement, whether or not he in fact went to jail himself!

"I'm not too happy about my condition myself" said Jane with chagrin. "What brings you today?"

"I had good news, until I saw your situation. Your arraignment has been set for tomorrow, mid-morning, at the courthouse downtown. But seeing you now, I don't expect you can go and stand before the Judge to plead your innocence" said the lawyer.

Patrick sighed, saddened that now he would miss his chance to plead innocent and get bail, and be free once again. That had been the plan, to be free until his trial.

"Could the Judge come here? To me?" he asked.

Mr. Cost shook his head, no. Then a thought occurred to the lawyer.

"In unusual circumstances, the Judge will allow the accused to appear via video-conferencing. Since you are injured and cannot attend court in person, but can speak your mind, I am sure if I petitioned the court today that the Judge would allow you to appear on camera and plead your innocence. At that time I could ask for bail. By tomorrow night you could be a free man, so to speak!" Costa said with a smile.

"Let's do it. I'll wear my best blue jammies and watch my manners. But I do intend to plead innocent to every single charge" said Jane with conviction. "I wouldn't know this Carol person if she walked into this room right now."

"I'll make the arrangements and let you know if the Judge agrees with my request. Can I email you his answer Mr. Jane?" asked Costa.

Jane gave him his contact information then leaned back against his pillows. His life was not bad in the hospital, certainly better than in the cold cell back at the SAC PD. But the cell at the CBI would be no more hospitable, so he had his hopes pinned on making bail in the morning. Mr. Costa stayed long enough to discuss bail arrangements and what Jane should expect at the arraignment the next day. By the time the lawyer left, Jane was allowing himself to feel the slightest bit excited. Once he was free, he would do everything he could to find this accomplice and bring him down, along with Carol Johansson. But first, he had to place a call to Lisbon. She needed to go to his motel room and find his best blue pajamas!

(SAC PD)

"Give me one reason, just one reason why I shouldn't fire your ass right now Carlson!" yelled Captain Burney when Carlson had plunked himself down into a chair in his boss's office. "Do you have any idea what Patrick Jane and the CBI can do to us if they decide to sue?"

"He won't sue us Captain! He's under arrest for kidnapping the daughter of one of our own detectives" began Carlson.

"You mean one of our ex-employees who is a total screw up and the worst cop we ever hired, that guy Carlson? The guy who beat up a prisoner and left him seriously injured? Let me remind you of something...Jane has not been convicted of any crime. Nothing. It is the word of a kid off the street against his, and right now the whole case could be thrown out if Jane gets a particularly vicious lawyer involved."

"But the girl identified him not once but twice Captain!" Carlson said in defence of the arrest.

"So? She could have named me, or you, or Santa Claus… that doesn't mean any of us did it Carlson. Mr. Jane should have been safe in our jail but he was not. And by the way, what's this I hear about him being tasered and kicked in the groin at the CBI? Is that how you treat your suspects Carlson?" screamed the Captain. Carlson squirmed in his chair and tried to find some way to turn the situation around in his favour. "He was resisting arrest Captain. We had to subdue him."

"Bullshit he was resisting arrest. I've seen the security footage shot at the CBI in the holding room. It was clear Jane was asking for you to wait for Agent Lisbon to come back before you took him away. He was not fighting back, he was asking for his boss. But you morons attacked him with 3 big guys and tasered him into submission."

Carlson looked ashen when he realized his Captain had obtained film showing Jane collapsing in the holding room of the CBI. At least he didn't see his guys knee him in the groin - that much was still hearsay.

"Here's what we're gonna do Carlson. We are going to conduct this investigation by the book, turning over every bit of evidence with a fine tooth comb. We are going to request that the CBI work with us…"

Carlson interrupted his Boss. "No way! I'm not working with Lisbon to get her guy off scott free!"

"As I was saying Carlson… we will put in a request to work with the CBI to share evidence and find out exactly what happened. If you cannot do that then I will put you on administrative leave for insubordination. There will be a note put into your personnel file and your job will be up for review when this case is finished. I need people I can trust and depend on Carlson. So you decide which way you want to play this. Go home, or play ball like the big kids."

The Captain was fuming and sat back in his chair, staring at his underling. Carlson had always been a good cop, rough, but he mostly followed police guidelines. This case was showing a side of him that his Captain found disturbing. He hoped it was just an aberration. If not, he might have to terminate Carlson right after Hannigan was out of their hair.

Carlson stared out of the window behind his boss's chair, his mind going over his options. His anger was going to have to go on the back burner if he wanted to remain a cop with the SAC PD. His boss was waiting for an answer…

"OK, sure. I can work with Agent Lisbon and her team. But I don't have to like it" he groused.

"No one asked you to. Just do your job without killing anyone and we'll talk again. Now get outta my office!" growled Burney.

Carlson stood up and trudged out of the small office and went back to his desk. Burney watched him go with a heavy heart. He really didn't want to lose Carlson. If he could swallow some of his resentment against Jane in particular, and the CBI as a whole, he might just manage to keep his job. Turning away from his musings, Captain Burney placed a call to Agent Teresa Lisbon. Time to smooth things over and see if he could rescue this disaster before the case brought them all down.


	11. Come Together

Sorry! This is chapter 11. I posted the wrong chapter just a minute ago so please don't read it yet. It is out of order! Read this first then I will repost the next chapter. Duh...

Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I have tried to answer everyone but I am sure I have missed someone. If it was you, believe me, I appreciate your review and your opinions! As to all the guessing about who is behind all this, I think you will be surprised!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 11

Come Together

Lisbon had returned to the CBI from the hospital on the heels of her team and had just called them all into a meeting when her phone rang. Seeing who was on the call display, she asked for privacy and took the call once everyone left her office.

Clearing her throat, Lisbon picked up the phone with trepidation and hoped her voice sounded authoritative… enough.

"Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon, how can I help you Captain Burney?"

"I am calling to apologize for the situation here today. I'm so sorry…" he began.

Lisbon immediately lost it. "Situation? You're calling the near fatal beating of one of my most valuable employees a situation?" Lisbon interrupted him in anger. "If beating an innocent man in police custody is a situation, I hate to think what a crime looks like!"

Captain Burney took a moment to let her rant. She was completely justified to be lashing out at him and he had to let her have her say. When Lisbon took a moment to compose herself, he began again.

"You're absolutely right Agent Lisbon. I should have called it what it was, an attack against a defenceless man in my jail, by one of my own men. I want you to know I have viewed the footage of the attack and Detective Hannigan has been arrested. How is Mr. Jane doing?" he asked, hoping to steer the conversation towards something less volatile.

"Mr. Jane is bruised, bleeding, in a great deal of pain and has a serious head injury. His short term memory of the attack is sketchy and he is unable to get out of bed as we speak. If Hannigan had not been stopped when he was, he would have killed Jane."

Dropping his attempts to be diplomatic, Burney let out a long sigh and spoke from the heart.

"Jeez Agent Lisbon, I really am so so sorry. Whether your man is innocent or guilty…"

"He's innocent!" she interjected.

"Innocent or guilty" he tried again "he did not deserve to be beaten today, and for that I offer my sincerest apology. I will deal with Carlson when this case is over. Please believe me Agent, no one wants to have this kind of thing happening in their precinct" he said truthfully.

Lisbon stood fidgeting with the phone while she calmed herself down. Captain Burney was a good man, well-liked and respected both by his own men and by other law enforcement agencies. Sighing deeply, she had to reset her approach and find out why he had really called.

"Ok. I'm listening Captain. Thank you for your condolences about Jane. Now what's the real reason you called?"

The Captain relaxed into his chair and could now start to make amends and move forward. "I have had a serious talk with Detective Carlson about a great many things. I requested and viewed the video footage of Mr. Jane's tasering yesterday at the CBI and I agree that it was unnecessary and unprovoked. I will be taking disciplinary action against all officers involved in that incident. I understand Mr. Jane claims he was kneed in the groin as well, but unfortunately it is hearsay and cannot be proven."

Lisbon clenched her jaw at this last statement, but knew it would boil down to Jane's word against the word of the SAC PD officers. She would have to let that attack slide.

"Go on Captain."

"I have informed Detective Carlson that from this moment on he will work closely with the CBI, sharing information concerning this particular kidnapping case."

Lisbon stood mute for a moment, temporarily shocked at the turn around in the attitude of the SAC PD. Did they really want to work as a team or was Burney scared to death about a lawsuit, which surely would not go well for he and his whole precinct. She had to think fast, he was waiting for a response. While it was good for Jane and her attempts to set him free, she couldn't imagine how her people could cooperate with Carlson and his men. A lot of anger and resentment would have to be swallowed, on both sides. Finding her voice, Lisbon decided to cautiously agree to his olive branch.

"I have to say, I wasn't expecting that offer Captain. We have been looking into the girl's story and so far we have found inconsistencies. We will be glad to share what we know, as long as Carlson is willing to listen and share his information with us. We believe there was no kidnapping at all, just a very good setup to frame Mr. Jane for unknown reasons. The motive for accusing him is still a mystery to us and to Mr. Jane. We would like to know what Carlson has in the way of new evidence that convinces him that Jane is guilty."

"OK, fair enough. I have to ask Agent Lisbon... have you uncovered anything that leads you to believe his denial of guilt, other than the fact that he is friends with all of you?"

Feeling insulted by his insinuation that friendship would trump the law, Lisbon had to bite back a spiteful response. This whole episode was testing her patience like few other cases had.

"Captain Burney, if Mr. Jane is indeed guilty of kidnapping a young woman and tormenting her for almost 2 weeks, I will put the handcuffs on him myself and will pursue all avenues to prove his guilt. But in this case, he is innocent. I believe what he says and I believe with some digging, we will discover why he is being set up. The so-called victim has shown herself to be a liar and we can prove it."

Burney's curiosity was certainly peaked now. "You believe she lied to Carlson when she came in with her story of being abducted?"

"Absolutely. At that time and since. She's quite the little actress. Too many things just don't add up. I look forward to getting this case closed as soon as possible. Oh, and we also believe she is working with an accomplice, a man who may be the one calling the shots. If we can get a full name or photo of him we might be able to bring him in."

"I look forward to reading Carlson's reports Agent Lisbon. He'll be contacting you soon."

"Ok. Thank you for calling Captain. Goodbye."

Lisbon set down the phone and took a moment to consider everything Burney had said. Her team wouldn't like this news. The hard feelings between the CBI and SAC PD went 'way back, and this new case only exacerbated their mutual distrust. She waved her team back in. This news was going to change everything. As they were coming back into her office the phone rang again. Seeing 'St. Marks Hospital" on the call display, Lisbon feared the worst and picked up the receiver with concern evident on her face. What if Jane had become sicker? Lapsed once again into unconsciousness?

"Hello?" she said with worry.

"About time you got off the phone Lisbon!" said Jane cheerfully.

Smiling in relief, she relaxed and sat down. "Jane! I just saw you. What's so important all of a sudden?"

"Pajamas. My best navy blue pajamas to be exact. Mr. Costa was just here and my arraignment will most likely happen tomorrow morning if he can persuade the Judge to allow me to appear via video-conferencing. It's all very high tech Lisbon!" he smirked.

"And the pajamas?" she asked, eliciting a look of confusion on the faces of her team, who couldn't help but overhear.

"Well I can't appear in court in this flimsy hospital gown Lisbon. Gives away too many secrets!" he grinned, tugging down on it to cover his bits and pieces as he spoke. "I need my best navy blue pajamas to appear on camera. Could someone pick them up from my motel room and drop them off here tonight or first thing in the morning?"

"Well we don't want too much revealed in court Jane, so someone will find them and get them over to you. Oh, by the way, Captain Burney of the SAC PD has instructed Detective Carlson to work with us and share any and all information his people uncover about the kidnapping. We have to share what we have too" she said, knowing he wouldn't like that bit of information. The look of shock and consternation on Cho's face was equalled by the looks of disgust on Van Pelt's and Rigsby's. They didn't like this news one bit.

"Are you sure we want to do that Lisbon?"

"Jane, we have no choice. And bottom line, if we can all work together and put aside any ill will between us and the SAC PD, we just might get you out of this mess faster." She couldn't see Jane, but she knew he was shaking his head in frustration. Working with Carlson would take the patience of a saint. Jane decided he would make sure to avoid the man altogether, or else he might have to hypnotize him into believing he had itching powder in his underwear.

Exhaling a long breath, Jane bit his tongue and let it go. No use arguing against something he was powerless to change.

"OK. If it gets me off this charge and Carol and her partner arrested, it will be worth it. See you later Lisbon" he said softly, then hung up.

"Bye Jane" she echoed and rang off. Looking up, she saw the hardened faces of her three best people.

"Boss, how can we work with Carlson and his people after what he did to Jane?" demanded Van Pelt, her righteous indignation flushing her cheeks a bright crimson.

Putting her hands up to appease her, Lisbon tried to calm them all down. "I know it will be hard, and we don't have to like it, but Captain Burney wants us to resolve our issues and get to the bottom of this mess. Carlson is Burney's problem now. We have lodged a formal complaint against Carlson and the SAC PD. But for now we need to figure out how to get the charges against Jane dropped."

Van Pelt's shoulders sagged and she nodded. "OK Boss. So what do we do now?"

"Now we find Boyd. We know Carol called him and we need to catch the two of them together if that is possible. I spoke to Jane this afternoon and he told me to set a trap. What he meant by that is, well… who knows. So we will set a trap and find Boyd. There is a tiny chance that Boyd will try to meet up with Carol, either at Jim Johansson's house or at some other location. We will have to watch the house to see if Boyd makes contact. If Carol goes out, someone will tail her. Sooner or later one of them will screw up and we will catch them both. We can set up a schedule for surveillance 'round the clock."

"I can take first watch" volunteered Van Pelt.

"I can go next, then I gotta go home to Ben" said Rigsby.

"I'll take the graveyard shift" said Cho, happy to take a short nap early in the night.

"Thanks guys. Let's hope Boyd is stupid enough to visit Carol. We'll nab him and bring him in for questioning. I want to bring Carol in tomorrow. She's had enough time to forget what she told Carlson and we can let Cho turn her inside out in the interrogation room. See if she sticks to her story or caves in" smiled Lisbon.

"Can't wait!" said Cho enthusiastically.

"One other thing. Van Pelt, can you put a tap on Carol's cellphone? We need to know if she calls Boyd or he tries to contact her."

"I'll try, but it depends on if it is a burner phone. If it is, I can't trace her calls Boss."

Lisbon nodded, knowing that it was a long shot, but still might work.

"Ok, thanks everyone. Check in regularly for updates" said Lisbon. The next 24 hours could prove to be very interesting indeed.

Carol fidgeted with nerves knowing that her brother would be home soon. He usually got home before the babysitter and had a beer while he wound down from a stressful day. She had spent the last little while sitting in the sun trying to calm herself. Good thing Boyd left when he did.

The front door slammed shut and Jim came in, dumping his briefcase and laptop off on the hall table.

"Anybody home?" he called, looking for his troubled sister. She appeared in the kitchen with a beer in her hand.

"Here ya go" she said, trying to keep him out of the kitchen for as long as possible.

"Thanks kid" he smiled. How he wished his sister was so sweet all the time. Maybe this kidnapping had changed her, knocked some of the hardness out of her he mused, as he took a long slug of the cool beer. She looked towards the TV and wandered into the living room, not wanting to talk to her brother if she could avoid it. Watching her go he sighed and turned towards the staircase. Once he got out of his suit and took a shower he would feel much better. Then the kids and his lovely wife Sara would be home. They would brighten his day with friendship and love in a way that Carol was incapable of.

He made his way up the stairs and walked down the hall past the kids bedrooms. Loosening his tie he walked into the master bedroom and shut the blinds. No good giving the neighbours a scare when he emerged from the shower. He threw his tie on the bed and shuffled out of his shoes. The rest of his clothes landed mostly on the bed and then he turned his attention to adjusting the temperature of the shower. After a refreshing rinse off he towelled himself dry and wandered back into the bedroom. Downstairs he could hear the excited voices of his kids as the babysitter said her goodbyes for the day. They ran up the stairs to find their favourite toys and then bolted downstairs again to jabber about their day to a completely disinterested Carol. Jim was sad that Carol could not find any joy in the company of his kids. He found something new and wonderful every day to smile at when his kids explained the world to him in their own unique ways. Carol just tuned them out.

He stood at the side of the bed towelling his hair dry and surveyed the bed in a distracted sort of way. It didn't look quite right. He rarely had time in the morning to make the bed and anyway, Sara preferred to do it herself, leaving it nice and crisp, with the pillows just so against the headboard. He looked at the cover a little more closely and it definitely had not been made up by his wife. He sat down and ran his hand over the surface of the cover, absentmindedly trying to decide who had mussed it up. Would Carol lie down in their bed for a nap instead of her own? Why would she do such an odd thing? His hand smoothed out the cloth of the cover until it hit a wet patch.

"What the hell?" he muttered. He fingered the material and brought his hand up to his nose, fearing what the substance might be.

"Beer?" he said out loud. Beer was spilled on his bed? "What the hell!" he said to the empty room. Carol had been drinking his beer on his bed and just spilled it without an apology? He got dressed and went downstairs to confront her when his wife come in the front door.

"Hi Sweetie!" she smiled when she saw him. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned to look into the living room, eyeing Carol as she slumped down into the sofa cushions. Dammit, he didn't want to have a fight today.

"Hi yourself" he said softly, glad Sara was home again. His wife went upstairs to get changed and he headed for the kitchen, to put away his beer bottle under the sink. As he bent down his eye spotted the damage to the edge of the counter. A large gouge was dug into the edge and a chunk of the arbourite was missing. 'Goddammit Carol!' he thought. Just a couple of days at the house and she was already damaging it due to carelessness. He stared at her and thought about calling her out right now, but thought better of it. The house was peaceful for the moment, his kids happy and relaxed, watching TV with their Aunt. No, he would wait to talk to her after the kids went to bed. He wanted to hear Carol explain the messed up bed, soaked with beer, and the damaged kitchen counter.

Sara strolled into the kitchen and saw the storm cloud on Jim's face. He silently pointed to the gouge, knowing she would be furious. She reacted with anger and started to call out to Carol.

"Shhh...I'll deal with it later, after the kids are asleep" he told her as she demanded an explanation. She looked at her sister-in-law and bit back her invective. Fine. Jim could deal with that miserable girl. She began to make supper, slamming the pots and pans around a little more enthusiastically than normal. Supper tonight was going to be very tense.


	12. The Stranger Within

By the way, I derive no monetary gain nor do I have any ownership of anything Mentalist related. I write for my own pleasure.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 12

The Stranger Within

Van Pelt stopped by Jane's motel room and found his blue pajamas neatly folded and tucked away in one of the few drawers. His bland room was not a total disaster, but could use a woman's touch. Her heart contracted when she surveyed the cold, utilitarian space, no sign of his large personality anywhere in the room. She suspected he only slept, minimally at best, and showered here. The rest of the time he preferred the cozy space he had created in the CBI attic. Sighing at the bleakness of it all, she shut the door and hastened to get over to the hospital before her stake out began.

A half hour later she arrived at Jane's room, identified herself to the CBI guard posted outside his door and knocked gently, hoping she would not be waking him up.

"Jane? It's Grace, may I come in?" she asked cautiously. A muffled response granted her permission to enter.

Stepping in she found Jane laying flat in his bed, exhausted and ready for sleep. The Neurologist had been in earlier and examined him, testing his cognitive function. By the time he was finished flashing a bright light into Jane's eyes, tested his reflexes, asked a million questions testing his ability to recall information, then got him up to test his balance, Jane was totally worn out. Dr. Simard had been correct, he was going to have to be patient. The wobbliness he felt when he tried to stand up and walk took him by surprise. He was much weaker than he realized, and his headache was now ramping up again. Good thing he didn't have to leave his bed for the arraignment in the morning. Falling down in front of the Judge wouldn't be so great he reasoned.

"I brought your blue pajamas Jane. How're you feeling?" Grace asked with concern.

"Never better" Jane lied softly, hoping to drift off to sleep soon.

"Liar!" Grace laughed..

"OK, not so great but getting better. I hope to be home soon" he said truthfully.

"We hope so too Jane. Your pajamas are over here" she indicated. "I'll let you rest now. Good luck with the arraignment tomorrow. We're all hoping for the best" she smiled as she touched his arm. "Goodnight."

"G'night" he smiled back, watching the lovely Van Pelt leave. Rigsby would be one lucky man if he ever won the heart of that beautiful woman. Jane tried to get comfortable despite his aching bones and tender bruises, sleep being his best preparation for confronting the Judge in just a few hours.

(Johansson's House)

Carol knew something was up. Jim usually tried to talk to her and cajole her into being part of the family at meal times, but the atmosphere at the dinner table tonight was so chilly she thought she might get frostbite. The kids chatted non-stop throughout the meal, and for once she was grateful that they took up so much of Jim and Sara's attention. Picking listlessly through the food she had no stomach for, she knew a lecture was coming about the damaged kitchen counter. 'Jeez Boyd, why pull that crap and leave me to deal with it?' she thought. He could be such a jerk…

"Finished?" Jim's voice interrupted her maudlin thoughts. He was indicating her half eaten food. Carol shoved her plate over to him and nodded, glad to get up and escape from the table. Sara watched the scene play out like it had so many times in the past, when Jim had rescued his sister and she showed little or no gratitude for his efforts. Carol stood up and shuffled out of the kitchen and went to her room, hoping if she hid long enough, the whole thing would blow over. One thing about Jim, he kept on trying to 'save' her. Maybe she could squeak out of this mess like she had so many times in the past by tearing up and telling him it was all a big misunderstanding. If he fell for it again, so what? Who would be the bigger dope then?

Two hours later those damned kids were washed and ready for bed. She heard them laugh and tumble into their beds, begging for a story before they were finally warned to go to sleep for the last time. Jim and Sara retreated to the living room to talk and the house grew quiet. Did it all blow over? Was he going to give her a pass on the damaged countertop? Grinning to herself she got up and started to take her nail polish off, exchanging a horrid neon orange for an equally shocking lime green colour. Finally engrossed in an activity she loved, Carol didn't hear the footsteps on the stairs as Jim and Sara came back upstairs looking for her. Her door was slightly ajar, so Jim walked in and stood behind her, willing her to turn around and face him.

Carol put down her nail polish brush and put on her most apologetic face, hoping to sway her brother's anger towards pity for his poor abused sister. Turning around in her chair, she realized with regret that Jim was furious, as was Sara, who stood in the doorway with her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

"Explain to me how that countertop was damaged Carol. And no lies!" said Jim evenly, staring at her in frustration.

Ok, time to put on her best act. "It was just an accident. I… I bumped it with my beer bottle and it must have already been cracked so it cracked even more and it just came off in a chunk and I couldn't help it if it just came off like that" she rambled on in an unbroken string of lame excuses.

Jim silently studied Carol as she tried to make up a reasonable excuse for the damage. It was a lie, so blatant he would have laughed if his heart was not being broken by his disappointing sister yet again.

"So it was already cracked and it just fell off when you bumped it, is that right?" he quizzed her.

"Yup. Must'a been" she said without blinking.

"OK, if you say so" he replied grimly.

'God! He believed me!' Carol thought. 'What a pushover!'

Jim raised a finger and beckoned her to come with him out of the bedroom. Carol immediately got suspicious but stood up to follow her brother out of her room. He was probably going to go and look at the damage with her to talk about it some more - holy moley what a bore! Sara and Jim turned and walked out of the small bedroom, not towards the stairs but instead towards their bedroom. Jim kept an eye on Carol and reached out and took her by her upper arm, guiding her with him as he resolutely headed for the one place she didn't want to see again.

Flicking on the light switch, he walked Carol around the bed and sat her down on it.

"What happened in here today Carol?" he asked with as much control in his voice as he could muster.

"Nothing"

"What did you do in here today Carol?" he said again, this time with more volume.

"I said nothing! Jeez Louise! What's your problem?" she spat out at him.

"Nothing? Then can you explain to me why the bedspread was put on sideways and how beer got spilled on it? How does that happen all by itself?" Jim asked. Sara was disgusted and knew the bedspread would have to be washed, more than once. She didn't want to think what Carol had been doing in their bed.

"How should I know? I don't make the bed!" laughed Carol nervously. Looking at Jim she couldn't help herself but made the situation even worse.

"If it's wet, you probably peed in the bed Jim. Wasn't that a problem of yours when you were a kid?" she snorted with derision.

Taking a step towards her he was about to raise his arm to her when he was stopped by the warm touch of his wife's hand on his arm. "Jim… no… don't stoop so low" she said softly.

Jim stared at Sara's pleading face and then turned around and left the room without another word. Sara stood at the end of the bed, facing Carol and pointed to the doorway.

"Out! Get out of my bedroom! Stay in your room until you can be a civilised human being!"

"Whatever!" snorted Carol, stalking out of the room and slamming her bedroom door in a show of defiance.

Sara stood silently in her bedroom wondering how such a girl could be the sister of the wonderful man she was married to. He tried so hard to be a good brother to Carol, helping her time and again. Well, maybe it was time to cut her loose and let her fight her own battles. Shaking her head to clear away all the bad memories, Sara left the bedroom and went back downstairs to sit and read, trying to calm herself down and regain some equilibrium before the end of her day.

Van Pelt parked the non-descript undercover vehicle a quarter of a block down the street from the Johansson house, giving herself a clear view of front of the house. If anyone approached from any direction she would be able to see it from her vantage point. Wrapping her soft sweater around herself, she settled down for a long and most likely, boring shift.

Carol was upstairs in her bedroom, elated that she had escaped a long screaming match with her brother and Sara. Let them deal with the mess Boyd had created. She was fuming at Sara however. How dare she yell at her? She was not family, just the wife! How dare she tell Carol to stay in her room? How long was she supposed to stay in there? All night? Til breakfast? All day and all the next night? Screw her! Screw them all! She could do better out on the street like she usually did. Carol impulsively stood up and began to throw clothing and personal items into her backpack, her phone and loose change the last to get chucked in there before she zipped it closed. Opening her door she peeked out into the hall to see where Jim and Sara had gone. They were nowhere in sight, so she tiptoed out and gently closed her door. Thankful for the carpeting on the stairs she silently made her way downstairs and crept through the house to the kitchen. Sara had her back to the kitchen door and didn't see Carol standing there staring at her. Jim had disappeared completely so maybe he was holed up in the basement or in his office, soothing his damaged ego with a good stiff drink. Smirking at her own cleverness, Carol eased open the back door and slipped out into the night. A quick dash across the back lawn led to the street running behind the Johansson house, and she was gone.

Jim sat in his office with his head in his hands. His baby sister had done it again - thrown his generosity and kindness back in his face. He knew Sara was finished offering her hospitality to such an ungrateful girl, and he couldn't blame her. He had really hoped Carol would just tell them the truth about what was going on, since he had given her enough chances to come clean. Rubbing his hand through his hair he made a tough decision and reached for a black box under his desk. After punching in a few commands, a video sprang up on his computer screen and a moment later he was looking at the interior of his house, caught on a hidden Nanny Cam. A few years ago he and Sara had had the misfortune to hire a woman to stay in their home to care for their newest child, a baby of six months. When alarming bruises started to show up on her small body they installed a Nanny Cam and found out the babysitter was very abusive in the way she handled both kids. Unable to tell their parents about the abuse, both tiny children had been at the mercy of the sitter for a few weeks before Jim and Sara caught on. They had fired the woman immediately and told the police. She was charged with child abuse and was taken away for a stint in jail. While they had eventually found a wonderful, caring child care provider after the first horrendous sitter, Jim always kept the Nanny Cam switched on, just in case, for peace of mind.

Now he sat in his quiet office and watched Carol move around the house after everyone had left that morning. Tiny cameras were laced throughout the house to spy on anyone who moved from room to room. Sara had actually forgotten about the cameras since everything was going so well with their current babysitter. He watched Carol make a slice of toast for breakfast and drink orange juice right out of the jug, instead of using a glass. She sat and watched TV almost non-stop, only taking a few breaks for the bathroom or finding snacks. He sat up straighter when he saw her suddenly leap up and run to the front door, admitting a dark haired young man! He watched in horrified fascination as the scene between Boyd and Carol unfolded in the living room, his hand smacking her across the face and her acceptance of it. Jim's heart rate sped up at the abuse his sister was willing to take. The audio of the tape caught their short conversation and then they left, heading for the kitchen. Boyd stole a beer out of the fridge and smashed it against the counter, breaking off the chunk that Carol had tried to explain away.

Anger was rising in Jim as he watched Boyd strut through the house and go upstairs, the cameras watching every move. When he dared to enter the kids bedrooms Jim started to curse under his breath. This was outrageous! What was Carol thinking to allow this stranger access to the most intimate spaces in their house? Boyd grabbed a toy jet and headed towards the master bedroom while Jim watched in disgust, a very bad feeling welling up in his gut. It was almost voyeuristic of him to watch, but Jim had to see what had occurred in the sanctity of his bedroom. As he saw Boyd drag Carol down on top of him and peel off her clothes, the sex rough and opportunistic, Jim felt like he was going to be sick. He didn't want to see his sister like this, his baby sister submitting to the sexual desires of someone who clearly didn't respect or love her in the least. Taking a break from using his sister's body for his own pleasure, Boyd sat up and took a long pull on the beer he had brought into the bedroom. Jim saw some splash down and soak into the rumpled cover of the bed, and Carol's fevered attempts to hide the spot. Feeling sorry for her and horrified at her behaviour at the same time, he finished watching Boyd use Carol until he stood up, fixed his clothes and sauntered back downstairs, leaving a half-dressed Carol to tidy up the bed before she ran after him, telling him to leave by the back door.

Jim sat back in his chair and felt like all the air had been kicked out of his lungs. So that's why she couldn't tell the truth. It was so much worse than he could have imagined. But now what? What should he do with Carol? He couldn't trust her, but he couldn't throw her out of the house either. She needed a safe place to stay no matter what she did, after all, she had been so recently traumatized by that man, Jane, now in jail himself. She had to be available for further questioning, Detective Carlson had made that abundantly clear. Sara would have to be told about the revealing video. That was a conversation he was not looking forward to having at all.

Heaving himself out of his chair, he went to find his wife and would show her the video proof of Carol's indiscretions with that vile young man. If anyone got any sleep tonight under his roof, it would be a miracle.

Ten minutes later and a lifetime of disappointment ahead of them, Jim and Sara turned off the video and sat in stunned silence in the small office. Sara stared off into empty space, feeling somehow violated by the actions of those two young people in her house. Jim stood up suddenly and started to walk out of the room.

"What are you going to do Jim?" asked Sara with worry in her voice.

"I need to talk to Carol. She needs to know that we know everything now. I want to know who this Boyd guy is and if he has hurt her before today" he said, still being the big brother.

"Ok, ok…" said Sara, not sure what else to do. Both left the office and headed upstairs, bracing for an ugly confrontation with Carol. Jim knocked on her door and waited for insults to be hurled his way. Only silence followed. Trying again, he knocked harder. Maybe she had fallen asleep, worn out from all the tension in the house.

Nothing.

Sara leaned forward and opened the door, peeking in to see if Carol was dressed. Seeing an empty bed she stepped into the room, followed closely by her husband.

"She's gone" he said softly.


	13. Brain Beat

Another chapter was ready and asking to be let out to play, so here it is. For the next little while Jane will not be featured prominently in upcoming chapters as he is in the hospital recovering. But hang in there, he will get his moment to shine soon enough.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 13

Brain Beat

Jane slept fitfully after Van Pelt left. Between the testing the neurologist did earlier and putting on a brave front for Lisbon and Van Pelt, Jane was completely worn out. All of that activity so soon after waking up from his concussion had taken what little energy he had left out of him and now he was crashing. So much had happened to him in a short time, and his body was letting him know it was not amused. Hannigan was a powerful man, stocky and muscular, the kind of man who would have supplied the muscle to a gang leader if he had chosen to go down that career path instead of going into the police academy. His punches had been devastating, surprising even, for a guy who looked like such a schlep. Eventually Jane woke up and rearranged himself painfully in the bed, which was starting to feel harder and harder under his back as each hour inched by. The pounding in his head was still alive and well, and his eyes skittered from side to side if he tried to focus on anything small for too long. Ok, reading was out. The TV was not hooked up in his room, but all the motion on the screen would most likely make Jane feel nauseous, so he didn't buzz a nurse to activate it. How would he fill his hours until the morning? Would he be well enough to talk sensibly to the Judge?

His chipper attitude from earlier in the afternoon was long gone, replaced with the realization that he really was not feeling all that well after all. What had that doctor told him? Don't fall down or hit your head again, could cause permanent brain damage? Huh… frauds in white coats… like to scare the beejeezus out of you. But the thought of really damaging his most prized possession, his mind, was enough to scare him out of trying to get up and wander around his room. Maybe later he could give it a try. For now, he just wanted the tear-inducing pain in his head and body to go away. Shifting his hips yet again to find a sweet spot in his bed that would feel comfortable, he finally understood the meaning of the phrase 'bone bruise'. Thanks to Hannigan, his entire skeleton felt like one gigantic bruise right now.

The door to his room opened quietly and the tiny nurse he had seen earlier came over to him to check on his condition. He read her name tag, 'Miri', such an unusual name.

"How are you feeling Mr. Jane?" she asked, taking his wrist in her hand and checking his pulse.

What to tell her? The truth? He felt like crap, but his natural instinct was to bluff his way out of hospitals and deal with the fallout later. But Lisbon had said to stay as long as he could, to avoid going to the CBI jail. Looking around his room he knew staying right where he was would be the smarter choice, so, he could be truthful for once.

"Hurts" he admitted softly.

'You're in pain?" she asked again. "Where?"

Smiling tightly, Jane just shrugged his shoulders and waved his hand vaguely. "Everywhere."

"Ok Mr. Jane, we'll make sure you're getting enough pain medication to let you rest more comfortably."

"It's my head mostly… terrible headache" he added, hoping for relief now that he had opened up.

Miri leaned in and gave him a little nod of her head. "I'm sorry, but that is to be expected. You should feel better once we adjust your medication. Just try to rest and be patient. You've taken quite a beating" she said, stating the obvious.

Jane lay back and felt his frustration rising. He didn't have time for this, not when Carol and her partner were out there and he was stuck in here, not helping to bring them down. Just thinking about them sent another shard of pain across the front of his skull. Five minutes later he was quite relieved when a nurse came in with a syringe and she injected something into his IV line. Whatever it was, a warm sensation of relaxation washed over Jane and he was overcome with fatigue. The drumming in his head became a dim tap tap tap as his will to think was superseded by the pharmaceutically induced sleep he so badly needed. His eyes closed heavily and he sighed into a dreamless, worry free nothingness.

(Jim Johansson's House)

Sara ran down the hallway to search the bathroom but it was empty too.

"Check the rest of the house!" she called as she headed down the stairs, taking them two by two. Jim and Sara checked the whole house searching and calling for Carol. Sara ran back upstairs and looked for the army green backpack that Carol took with her everywhere. It was gone, as was pretty much everything else she had arrived with.

Jim ran out the front door and started to call Carol by name, looking up and down the street in hopes of seeing her in the dark and convincing her to stay and answer some questions.

Van Pelt sat up straighter in her car seat and leaned against the steering wheel, watching Jim Johansson run down his walkway and out onto the sidewalk, calling his sister's name. Grace pushed open her door and jogged over to the Johansson house, her badge out to show Jim and Sara, who had joined her husband outside.

"Mr. Johansson, Agent Grace Van Pelt, CBI!" she said, holding up her badge.

"I remember you… you were just here to talk to me…" he said in confusion. "What are you doing on my street? Are you watching my house?" he said in alarm.

Grace had to be honest and smiled 'hello' to Sara Johansson.

"We staked out your house to see if a young man shows up, someone named Boyd. We believe he is Carol's boyfriend. We need to find him and bring him in for questioning Mr. Johansson" she explained. "What's going on here?" she asked.

Jim sighed, this whole mess getting worse by the minute.

"She's gone. There was .. an incident earlier … and she took off a short while ago" he admitted to Van Pelt.

"Do you think she is just out for a walk and will return later on her own?" asked Van Pelt sensibly.

"No. No I don't think so" said Sara. "I checked her room and she packed everything she came with into her backpack and she's gone. She isn't coming back."

Van Pelt got on her cell phone and called the news into the CBI.

"What happened earlier, this incident you mentioned?" asked Grace.

Jim and Sara looked at each other and knew they had to show this Agent what they had just discovered. The CBI was looking for the man who had been in their house just a few hours ago.

"Please, come inside. We have something to show you" Jim said, leading the way while Van Pelt and Sara followed.

Fifteen minutes later, a shocked Van Pelt was on her cell phone again, calling Lisbon with this latest discovery. The footage of Boyd was priceless and if he was in their system, they would soon have a last name to match the face.

"We will have to take this video into evidence Mr. Johansson" Grace informed him.

"Why? You can't! My sister is practically naked on that video!" he sputtered, embarrassed for her even now.

"Mr. Johansson, we've been looking for her boyfriend ever since she accused Mr. Jane of kidnapping her. We believe this Boyd person is working with her on a con and he is the mastermind behind everything she has said to the police. We need to bring him in immediately for questioning" she explained, brooking no denial on his part.

"Take it" said Sara, deciding for Jim. "We want this man out of Carol's life as much as you want to find him. Just take it."

"Thank you Mrs. Johansson. We will need you to sign for it before we go."

Looking around the tidy house, Van Pelt could see they were good people caught up in a terrible mess, not of their making.

A thought occurred to her. "Do you have Carol's cell phone number? If you called her do you think you could persuade her to return home?"

Jim and Sara just shook their heads, no. "Carol used the phone at the police department to call us to come and get her. I didn't even know she had a cell phone until last night when I saw it in her room" said Sara.

"She didn't give us her number. That's typical of her, it just makes it harder for me to contact her or try to convince her to turn her life around" added Jim sadly.

Grace had hoped they could contact Carol directly, but now it was going to be necessary to put a BOLO out on her. "Carol has just run away. We must assume she will contact her boyfriend Boyd. If she doesn't for some reason, and he shows up, just tell him she is at the doctor's office and will return in an hour. If we can convince him to come back later, we will be waiting for him. Do not admit that you know his name. Act innocent and calm. Can you do that?" she asked.

Jim shook his head in agreement. "Yes, of course. Anything we can do to help…" he said, his voice trailing off as he got lost in thought, realizing the whole story of the kidnapping could be Carol's worst lie yet.

Grace walked back to the front hallway, waiting for Lisbon to show up. Soon a black SUV caught Van Pelt's attention and she saw her team members exit the vehicle, Lisbon taking the lead.

"Hello, I'm Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon. I think you already know Agent Rigsby and this is Agent Cho. I understand you have some video that will be of interest to our investigation?" she said to Jim and Sara.

"I have given Agent Van Pelt the tape. If there is anything we can do to aid in your investigation and bring Carol home again, just let us know" said Jim, while Sara wrung her hands in anguish.

Cho and Rigsby took the Johansson's into their living room to question them about Carol and what she had been up to lately, while Lisbon and Van Pelt got up to speed about Carol's hasty departure. Lisbon couldn't wait to see what the video would reveal about the nefarious Miss Johansson.

"I can't believe Carol pulled a runner! As if we didn't have enough issues to deal with, now our so-called victim decides to disappear!" Lisbon said in frustration. "Were you able to tap into her phone?" asked Lisbon hopefully.

"Nope. It's a burner. If she has half a brain she will have already disposed of it and found another phone by now" Grace said.

"Let's hope she isn't that smart. Dammit! We need to get back to the office and run this video through our system and see if Boyd's face matches any we have from prior arrests. We need a last name to work with. With a name, maybe we will get a motive" said Lisbon, already moving towards the front door.

"I'll ride with you Van Pelt, Cho and Rigsby can finish up here and meet up with us later." Waving goodbye to the men from the front hall, Grace and Lisbon left to make their way back to the CBI. This was a great break for them, for Jane. With a bit of luck and digging, by morning maybe they would have a motive. Boyd was the key to the whole scam, and by morning he might just be under arrest himself.


	14. Enemy In The Bullpen

Thanks to everyone who posted reviews and contacted me with great emails. They make my day!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 14

Enemy in the Bullpen

Carol ran down the back alleyway behind her brother's house until it led out into a side street running parallel to the main road. She was familiar with Sacramento, having moved around a lot as a kid. She knew where all the hangouts were when you needed to hide out for a while, with either the cops or your parents looking for you. She still had contact with some long time street kids who might hide her for awhile, until she could contact Boyd and have him pick her up. She felt sure he would be glad to have her with him now, and not just for the occasional quick bang at her brother's house. Turning into a side laneway she ducked under a half-collapsed fence and ran towards an old cement factory. She was surprised it was still here, and not knocked down by the city to make way for condos or boutique hotels. She had hidden here many a night when her Mom and Dad were fighting and she needed to get away from all the hate and accusations. It was mostly her Dad defending himself against her Mother's anger, after he had screwed up somehow at work or at home. His promises to the family really weren't worth anything most of the time. Carol remembered all of his lofty promises to take her to the beach when she was little, only to stand waiting with her bathing suit on, sand pail in hand, on the front porch for hours, only to finally go inside when her Mother told her he had forgotten, or was otherwise engaged. He hadn't done it just once, it happened time and time again. His other plans always seemed to be more important than his promises to her or her brother. But if her Mother had been nicer to him, maybe he would have come home more. She needed to blame someone for Daddy's shortcomings, so it was easier to blame her Mother, the one constant in her life who was always there to take her abuse.

Carol tore through the empty lot and found the hole in the factory wall just large enough for her to crawl through. Looking around the dark space, she saw empty candy wrappers and long finished potato chip bags, cigarette butts and used condoms. Seeing the detritus of other loners and runaways didn't make her feel any better about things, such as they were, but at least she was not the only one with a screwed up life. She picked her way carefully through the debris and found a safe and relatively garbage free spot under a stairway to hunker down for the night. Pulling out her phone she hit Boyds' cell number and waited for him to pick up.

No service. Jeezus Murphy! No frickin' phone service in this forsaken part of town. She didn't like the idea of going out again, too many chances of Jim finding her and dragging her back to his house again for a massive lecture. No thank you sir! She decided to stay put and get some sleep. She could make her way downtown to find some street kids and call Boyd in the morning. He'd know what to do. Maybe now he would agree to run away and get out of Sacramento once and for all!

(CBI)

Lisbon let Van Pelt, her CBI tech wizard, load the video of Carol and Boyd into their facial recognition software, hoping for a hit. Their system wasn't nearly as sophisticated as the facial recognition program the FBI had, but they had to make do with what they had on the CBI budget. Bertram was always cutting costs and trimming the fat out of their budget to look good to his bosses. Pacing the floor she anxiously waited, coffee in hand, for a match to point to someone they had previously arrested in Sacramento. Cho and Rigsby arrived and Lisbon filled them in on the latest. They were in a huddle discussing Jane's case when a deep voice behind her made Lisbon spin around.

Bertram was standing in the bullpen, watching Van Pelt work at her computer and Lisbon talk to Cho and Rigsby about getting Jane out of custody.

"Lisbon, a word, in your office…" he commanded, turning on his heel and walking away from her as her team looked at her in concern. Nodding silently, she followed, wondering what her shady boss was up to now. She was certain he would want to distance himself from this disgrace as soon as possible. Throwing Jane to the wolves would not be out of character for him and Lisbon knew it. Bertram was standing in the middle of her office as she entered.

"Shut the door Agent Lisbon" he told her. She quietly closed the door, casting a quick glance out at her worried team. Lisbon went around her desk and sat down, indicating a chair for Bertram.

"Not a social visit Lisbon. About this business with Jane… it's a catastrophe for our department. Funding for the Serious Crimes Unit is always a game of catch up and once the media has gotten wind of the charges against Jane, well I'm sure you will understand, I must be seen as being totally impartial as to his guilt or innocence..."

"Sir, he's innocent. We're working on several key pieces of evidence we hope will exonerate him" she interrupted him.

"Guilty… or innocent, Lisbon, I cannot be involved in defending him, and you need to tread very carefully as well" he continued, aggravated by her impulsive assertion of support for her annoying consultant. "Now I know you and your team feel very protective of Jane, for good reason... he's an asset we would hate to lose, but if he committed this crime…"

"He didn't!"

"IF he committed this crime Lisbon, he will have to pay to the fullest extent of the law and I will expect you to help Carlson make that happen. It's not just Jane's career on the line here, it's the very existence of this department. I should not have to remind you of that" he warned her ominously.

"I understand" Lisbon said quietly, hating Bertram with every fibre in her body at this moment. Nothing would please him more than to see Jane disgraced and sent to a Federal prison for many years. His tolerance of Jane and his disregard for procedure was always at the tipping point and this charge against Jane could very likely push Bertram and the powers he answered to over the edge, shutting down the unit and reallocating their budget to another department. Bertram smiled his serpent-like grin at her and exited her office, leaving her feeling like she needed a shower to get the political slime off her.

Gathering her wits about her before she rejoined her team, Lisbon saw that a message was flashing on her office phone. Detective Carlson had called three times, each time sounding more and more annoyed in tone. He must think she was avoiding him. Sighing with weariness, she picked up the phone and called him back. He needed to be updated on the latest with his little 'victim'.

"Carlson!" he answered, seeing on his display that Lisbon had finally deigned to return his calls. "So much for sharing information Agent Lisbon, you don't even talk to me" he began, feeling like he had to establish his dominance right now, in the first minutes of their so-called alliance.

Gritting her teeth in annoyance, Lisbon let him have his say, then cut him off.

"Detective Carlson, I am not avoiding you. I just got back into the office with some pretty damning evidence. While you were in your office, we were at Jim Johansson's house watching a very interesting video of our victim and her boyfriend."

Carlson sat up, paying more attention now. "Her boyfriend? She told me she had no boyfriend in Sacramento or anywhere else!"

"I think you need to consider the fact that our little chickadee has been singing a slightly off-key tune Detective."

"What brought you to the brother's house in the first place Agent Lisbon?"

"Detective, instead of me telling you everything twice, I think you need to get over here right now and let me fill you in. We have a video you need to see. Then we'll talk again. Oh, and in case you missed in on the wire, Carol Johansson has taken off and is currently missing. We put a BOLO out for her and hope to pick her up as soon as possible for further questioning."

"Missing? Why would she take off? She seemed so upset and broken when I saw her just the other day!" he stammered.

Lisbon was worn out. First Bertram was up her ass about distancing herself from Jane, now Carlson needed to be handled with care. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.

"Like I said, she is not what she seems. The sooner you realize that the sooner we will find out just what the hell is going on. We have a CBI consultant in the hospital because of the story Carol Johansson told, and he is going before a Judge tomorrow morning, trying to get bail for a crime he did not commit. I think we owe it to Jane to get the truth out of his accuser once and for all Carlson" said Lisbon with frustration.

"OK...OK…" replied Carlson thoughtfully. "I'll be right over."

Hanging up Lisbon stood at her desk and looked over into the bullpen, watching her three best agents hunkered down at their desks doing everything in their power to help their partner Jane. She had never been so proud of them and so sick of Bertram and his cronies.

Carlson arrived 20 minutes later, eager to find out just what was so compelling that he had to drive clear across town. Lisbon filled him in on everything that had transpired in the last few hours, then showed him the film of Carol and her boyfriend Boyd. Grabbing Van Pelt's cell phone, Lisbon also played back the video of Carol talking to Boyd, strangely minus the tears and upset, talking about her bruises and how she wanted to get out of there. She certainly did not seem like the terrified victim he had met only a day before.

"Well? Are you convinced that my consultant might be the victim of a setup?" asked Lisbon when Carlson was finished watching the revealing videos.

Carlson had to admit, it didn't look good for his 'victim' Carol. But he knew a good prosecutor could tear the phone conversation apart and make it look like an entirely different conversation, not one that incriminated Carol, but exonerated her instead. And the film from the Nanny Cam, so what? What did that prove? That Carol had poor taste in men and allowed them to smack her around?

"Agent Lisbon, I agree with you, this doesn't look good for Carol. But I have to consider what the DA and the prosecutor are going to do with this evidence. We can work with this and build on it, but right now, it just muddies the waters and slows down Jane's conviction. But it won't necessarily clear him" he said truthfully.

Lisbon listened carefully to him, along with Cho and Rigsby. Van Pelt was immersed in the facial recognition program and wasn't listening to Carlson.

"Unfortunately I think you're right Detective" Lisbon said sadly, as Cho and Rigsby nodded in agreement.

"We have to find Carol as soon as possible Boss, it's the only way we can break this story down and get to the truth" said Cho.

"Boss? The program has finished running" said Van Pelt, turning around in her chair and facing the expectant group.

"And?" asked Carlson.

"And nothing...we didn't get a match" she said with disappointment. "We have no prior arrests in our system for Boyd and his photo doesn't match anyone we have in our database."

"So he is still the mystery man" said Lisbon distractedly.

"Give Carol Johansson to me and I'll get it out of her" said Cho firmly.

"We have to find her first" said Carlson. "I'll send some of my men out into the city to try to flush her out. It might help your guys and get her back in here faster" he offered helpfully. Lisbon appreciated his offer and felt a bit more reassured now that perhaps they could work together without killing each other in the process.

"Would it help if we laid out everything we know so far?" asked Rigsby. "I mean, you haven't told us everything about her story yet. Maybe there is something that's been missed that we can work with" he said reasonably.

Carlson eyed the eager group and had to admit to himself that this was a very tight knit, dedicated group of law enforcement officers. He wasn't sure how that crack pot Jane could possibly fit into this by-the-book group, but from what they said, it was somehow working.

"Sure. Just let me fuel up with some coffee, then we'll spread it all out on the conference table over there and see what shakes out" he agreed, getting up and heading for the kitchen with Lisbon and Cho. Rigsby sat by Van Pelt, aching to put his arm around her shoulders and give her a hug of encouragement. She had tried so hard to find Boyd and it had all come to nothing.

Coffees in hand, the group settled at the large oval conference table at the end of the room and brought out all their files and accumulated notes.

"Just start at the beginning Detective Carlson, from the moment you first met Carol Johansson" suggested Lisbon, her pen and long notepad at the ready.


	15. Clues For The Clueless

This is a long chapter but an important one. I had lots of fun writing it, so I hope you enjoy it too.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 15

Clues For The Clueless

Carlson opened up his file and took a slurp of his coffee. Time to play ball like Burney told him to. Sharing his case file with Jane's team really pissed him off, but he wanted to keep his job.

"This past Monday morning, at approximately 10am, a young woman came into the SAC police department looking frightened, dishevelled and obviously hurt. She said she had been kidnapped and asked for help" said Carlson. "My desk Sergeant rang through to me and I came out to meet her and took her to my office."

"Was she crying or overly emotional?" asked Van Pelt.

"Not crying really, but nervous and upset. She seemed to be frightened of everything and wanted to tell me what she had just been through" said Carlson.

'Nervous and frightened... " repeated Lisbon to herself, remembering how Jane thought it had been odd that Carol's nervousness seemed out of place.

"I asked her to describe the man who took her and where he kept her for so long" continued Carlson.

"Backup a minute" said Cho. "Let's go over that again."

"Go over what? I haven't even told you what she said yet" said Carlson with annoyance. If this is how these people were going to deal with him this session was going to take forever.

"You just told us that a young woman showed up at the SAC police front desk, distressed and asking for help."

"Yes… and?" asked Carlson.

"How'd she get there?" asked Cho, emotionless as usual.

"Whaddya mean, how'd she get there? How should I know, why should I care?" answered Carlson with confusion.

"A young woman comes into your station house telling you she just escaped from a violent kidnapper across town, more than half an hour away at the least. She is battered and bloody and upset. So how did she get across town? Did she walk? Did she hail a taxi? Did she take a bus? Did she hitch a ride with a stranger and bleed all over his front seat? How'd she get there?" repeated Cho.

Lisbon couldn't help but grin at seeing Cho's mind working like a computer. He was right of course, how did she make her way, alone, apparently hurt, and distressed in a city full of apparently oblivious people.

Carlson stared at his case file and read over his notes, also scanning his handwritten notes on his small notepad, and then looked up at the expectant faces of the CBI agents.

"I ah… I don't know. She just showed up and we took her to the office to talk. I don't see any reference to how she actually got to my office" he admitted, looking embarrassed at this huge gaffe.

"Ok. So she miraculously manages to make it to the SAC PD to seek help, then what?" said Cho, making a note of this oversight.

"I calmed her down with a drink of water and got her to tell me what had happened to her" he began again. "I turned on my recorder and interviewed her. She told me that a couple of weeks ago she had been waiting for a bus to go visit a girlfriend and a nice looking man drove up and stopped beside her at the curb."

"Let me guess, he looked just like Patrick Jane" said Lisbon sarcastically.

"Yes, she described Jane, right down to the three piece suit. She said he engaged her in conversation. She said she knew she shouldn't be talking to him since she didn't know who he was, but since he was so nice, so polite and so handsome, she ignored her better judgement and went over to chat with him some more."

"She told me she was going downtown alone, not to visit a girlfriend. She said she didn't have any friends in Sacramento" added Grace. "She lied to me or she lied to you Detective Carlson."

Carlson glared at Van Pelt.

"Then what?" prodded Lisbon.

"Then he got out of his car and offered to drive her wherever she wanted to go, since he had the day off work, or so she said" he added. "She decided to take him up on his offer and got into the car. He shut the passenger door and walked around the car to the driver's side and drove off."

"And she was OK with this?" said Van Pelt.

"She's a tough kid, said she had taken rides with lots of strangers in the past and nothing bad ever happened, so she did it again. She said he ignored her requests to drop her off downtown and instead drove her to a large old house that looked like no one lived in it anymore. There was a 'For Sale' sign in the front yard with a 'Sold' sticker over it. Carol said he got out of the car and pulled her out of the car and forced her into the house."

"In broad daylight? Who does that? She's half his age and twice as fast, why didn't she just run when he was getting out of his side of the car? She could easily have run away and hidden in any of the side streets around there!" said Rigsby.

Carlson shook his head in consternation. "I dunno. I'm just telling you what she told me."

"What about fingerprints in and on Jane's car? What did Forensics come up with?" asked Cho.

Carlson again dipped his head and found the page he wanted. "Ahh...Jane's prints all over the inside and outside of the car, but none belonging to Carol Johansson" he said confidently.

"Kind of odd that she took a ride in the car but left no prints behind" Lisbon said.

"Jane would have wiped her prints off" said Carlson, seeing that as the obvious reason.

"So how would Jane wipe only her prints off the car and leave his behind? Wouldn't his have been smudged from all the wiping?" asked Van Pelt, knowing full well Jane would never do such a heinous thing to young woman.

Carlson rounded on Van Pelt. "He's a very smart guy. Hasn't he been watching all of you for years now? He could have managed it" he barked.

Knowing they would get nowhere with this line of inquiry, not yet at least, Lisbon changed the subject.

"What did she look like at that moment? In your office literally within an hour of escaping from her kidnapper" asked Lisbon.

Carlson could see her so clearly in his memory, a small shivering blonde girl, a few new bruises still fresh on her face and some older ones on her body, peeking out of her sleeveless top.

"She was bruised, old bruises on their way to healing, and fresh bruises that were just starting to show on her face and upper arms. She had some abrasions on the inside of her wrists where she said the ropes cut her skin open."

"Show me" said Lisbon.

"Like how?" asked Carlson, not understanding her meaning.

"Can you show me exactly where the cuts were on her wrists, how deep and how bloody they were?"

Carlson dug around in his file and pulled up photos of Carol's wrists. They were bloodied and torn up, but only on the inside of her wrists, not all the way around.

"Her wrists were bruised and bleeding, but not too much. She said Jane used twine from the building supplies he had at the house. He sat her down in a wooden chair and grabbed a length of twine and tied up her wrists behind her back, then attached the rope to the chair so she couldn't run away."

Cho was making notes and scowled in confusion. Carlson was continuing his recollections when Cho interrupted him again.

"Stop!"

Carlson turned to Cho in aggravation and looked pained.

"Now what?" he said none too kindly. "Do you want to know what happened or not?"

Cho ignored his anger and continued. "Jane has been working with us for years. In that time he has seen us take down too many perps to count. Lisbon, when you catch someone and arrest him, what do you use to restrain him?" Cho asked.

"My handcuffs" she answered, not knowing why he would ask such an obvious question.

"If you're bringing in more than one suspect, and your cuffs are already in use, what do you use then?" he continued evenly.

"Zip ties. We all carry a few of them at all times. Works just as well as handcuffs, maybe even better" she admitted, while everyone at the table nodded in agreement.

"What are you getting at Cho?" asked Rigsby.

"Jane has gone to enough crime scenes, watched us take down enough suspects to know that the best and quickest and most secure way to restrain someone is with handcuffs or zip ties, but Carol would have us believe he was dumb enough to use twine to tie her up? Wasn't he supposed to have planned this kidnapping? Surely he could have bought zip ties at a hardware store or any Walmart around here with cash, to do the job better. Hell, he could have taken some from this office too. She would never have escaped zip ties" Cho said.

The agents around the table sat quietly for a moment and had to admit, Jane just couldn't be that stupid. It was a huge red flag of dumbness. Carlson had never even considered it.

"She _had_ to be tied up with twine" Van Pelt said, breaking the silence.

Carlson mulled this over, then reluctantly nodded his head, seeing it now, as Lisbon and Rigsby also started to see the logic of it.

"Carol is all of 100 pounds. Hypothetically speaking, if she had been held in handcuffs or zip ties we still wouldn't know she was missing. But somehow she miraculously escaped and ran to the police for help. I've worked with horses a lot, and we used twine around the barns all the time. It's cheap, light, easy to work with. But it has one drawback" explained Van Pelt, as everyone listened to her insight.

"It stretches when it gets wet" interrupted Carlson. He looked at Van Pelt with admiration that she had understood Cho's logic first. He hated to admit it, but twine was a bad restraint to use.

"I used to deliver newspapers in my neighbourhood when I was a kid. They came tied up with twine and we carted the bundles around to each stop on my route. When it was raining, the twine stretched so much that sometimes the top papers fell out of the bundle and had to be thrown out. It really slowed me down in my deliveries" Cho explained.

"Carol had to have a reasonable way to 'escape' from her kidnapper. If her ropes got wet with blood, it is reasonable to assume that she could work at them and stretch them just enough to slide her wrists out of the restraints. Then she could run for help. Someone pretty smart figured that for her story to be believable, she needed a viable way to escape her bonds" explained Cho.

"If the twine was also tied around the wood on the back of the chair, and she worked at getting free all those hours and days, wouldn't we see scrape marks on the chairback?" suggested Rigsby.

"Her wrists never spent one minute tied up" said Lisbon. "Let's see her medical report from her checkup at the hospital" she demanded.

Carlson pulled it out of his file and they all leaned in to read it. 'Superficial bruising, emotional trauma, no sexual assault, no broken bones or obvious signs of repeated physical contact, slight abrasions on the inside of wrists, dehydration'.

"I've had worse done to me during a football game" scoffed Rigsby.

"This doesn't sound like a girl who has struggled to free herself for almost two weeks. We would have seen much more severe lacerations and blood loss from her wrists, with major bruising at the contact points on her skin where the ropes rubbed constantly" said Cho.

"She was never restrained…" admitted Carlson, if he looked at the evidence in front of him now in this new way . Oh God… he should have paid more attention to what was right in front of him all the time.

"My guess is that someone rubbed a piece of twine back and forth against her wrists to provide forensic evidence when we took the ropes for testing. Twine which Carol and her accomplice knew Jane had lying around his house. They rubbed it enough to break the skin and put blood on the ropes to look like her efforts to escape. It would contain her skin cells as well, all the better to convince a jury that she had been held against her will" said Cho, his thought processes playing out like a movie in his head.

"Go on… what else did she tell you when you questioned her?" asked Lisbon, excited that they had made some progress now.

Carlson consulted his notes and began again.

"I asked her how long she had been held captive. She said it was around two weeks before she managed to loosen her bonds and run for help. She was either sitting in that chair or Jane forced her to lie down with him on his cot and sleep close to his body whenever he stayed overnight" he continued.

"What happened then…" asked Rigsby, not really wanting to think about Jane doing something so perverted.

"Well, then he, he played with her" said Carlson, shifting his paperwork around on the smooth table top.

A look of disgust rolled over Lisbon's face. "No. No way do I believe this. No way."

"He would allow her to sit in the kitchen while he fed her sandwiches. She still was tied up but just switched chairs. He accompanied her to the bathroom and waited outside the door until she was finished" Carlson read off the notes.

"Ugh.. how crude…" said Van Pelt. "Jane would never do that!"

"I'm just telling you what she said to me" Carlson added.

"What does the forensic report say?" asked Lisbon. "Anything useful there?"

"Fingerprints all over the place. Lots and lots of Jane's prints, on every surface. He was renovating the house, you can see what he had already done and what he planned to do. He has a pile of tools lined up against the living room wall and a work table set up in the front room with rough blueprints still rolled out on it."

"And the girl's prints? Exactly where are they?" asked Lisbon.

"All over the place too. She touched as much of the house as she could apparently" said Carlson, knowing it didn't look good for Jane just from that evidence.

"Do you have any photos of the prints, you know, showing them dusted for evidence?" asked Van Pelt.

"Why? What does that matter if we know they were her prints. If he didn't take her then how did the prints get into his house? Why look at them?" asked Carlson.

Van Pelt silently wondered how this Detective had risen so far with the SAC PD. He couldn't see what was in front of him.

"Please, humour me. Can I see the photos the crime scene techs took?" she asked again.

Whistling in aggravation under his breath, Carlson dug through his case file and eventually found glossy photos of the inside of the house. Fingerprints showed up as large dark dusty patches all over various surfaces and walls, edges of doorways and the tabletop. It looked pretty bad and hard to explain away.

"Can we tell which prints are Carols just from these photos?" asked Van Pelt.

"Well, without looking at the forensic reports detailing every single set of prints, we can surmise from my interview with Miss Johansson which sets of prints are hers based on her story of being held in certain chairs, moved around to the kitchen and then the bed."

Everyone leaned forward again to study the photos, hoping to see something that would look wrong, out of place. After a few minutes of consideration, Lisbon stood up and walked over to her desk and returned with a boot lace in her hands.

"Tie my wrists together Cho" she asked.

Cho didn't question her odd request, but stood up and put her hands behind her back and bound her wrists together.

"Grab the ink pad on my desk and put some on my finger tips" she commanded.

Cho grinned slightly and did as she asked. Now, with black sticky fingers, Lisbon walked over to Rigsby's desk and tried to plant her fingers down on the surface to leave a clear set of fingerprints. She did the same on the trim around the door, on the conference tabletop, on the back of a wooden chair, and several other places around the room. At her request, Cho then released her hands and they all examined the prints, such as they were, all around the room. In each location, Lisbon's fingerprints were visible but either smeary or unclear. Because her hands were backwards and upside down, the prints were hard to actually press onto each surface.

"How did these very clean and usable prints get all over the place if her hands were bound they way she claims they were?" asked Lisbon, wiping off her hands.

"It's not possible...not from this demonstration" said Rigsby.

"It's hardly definitive" said Det. Carlson, playing devil's advocate. "For results the court would accept you have to replicate the situation exactly" he advised them.

"I agree, but for argument's sake, doesn't this show that she was lying about being there and being tied up?" stressed Grace in frustration.

"So how did her prints get in that house?" asked Rigsby. "According to Jane, he was in and out of there all the time, at random times, with no set schedule."

A pall of silence fell over the assembled agents as they considered this new twist in the problem at hand. Jane was at the house Sunday night and again Monday morning before he came to work. So when and how did Carol get access to the house and leave her prints everywhere before running to the police with her wild story of abduction and abuse?

"I want to go and see the house for myself" said Lisbon. "Maybe there is something the SAC guys missed, something that would exonerate Jane besides our theories."

Carlson looked offended at the suggestion his team hadn't done a thorough enough job, but his boss told him to play ball with the CBI, so he swallowed his pride and nodded his head in silent acquiescence.

"I can arrange that tomorrow. Soon enough?" he asked the assembled agents.

"Yes, thank you" said Lisbon gratefully. She was surprised that Carlson was being so accommodating, and if she had picked up on his tone correctly, she felt he was becoming more willing to believe that Jane had been railroaded.

"Unless we can find a witness who saw something else going on at that house, we have to rely on these new interpretations of the evidence collected on scene. If a Judge and jury reject our ideas, it won't go well for Jane at his trial" Cho said with resignation. He was just saying what everyone else was already thinking. They might just be spinning their wheels looking for evidence that didn't really amount to anything when push came to shove.

They continued perusing the crime scene photos and grilling Carlson, hoping something else would catch their attention. But Carol's story was very simple, basic almost. She was taken off the street, held against her will, tormented emotionally and physically, fed little, slept very little, then made her escape when Jane left for work Monday morning. She gave little detail but stuck to her story, such as it was.

"It's almost as if she doesn't want to talk about it too much, like she only has a small story to tell and is afraid to say more than she needs to" observed Grace. "If I had been held for two weeks, I think I would have much more to say, about Jane and what he said, what he did, how he did it. But she gives us none of that in her deposition."

"Maybe because someone told her what to say and didn't trust her to say too much more in case she gave the con away" said Cho.

"When we find her, we'll get the rest of the story out of her. She will tell us who this Boyd really is" said Lisbon as she stood up to stretch her legs. The meeting had gone far better than she could have hoped for. Everyone was tired and she told them to call it quits, go home. Jane's arraignment was tomorrow, too soon to compile their new interpretations of the evidence and get it to a Judge to throw out the charges, if Carlson would even agree to do that.

No, Jane was on his own in the morning. He would either leave the hospital a free man out on bail until his trial, or he would leave as a handcuffed suspect, on his way to jail, possibly prison. And that was completely out of the control of Lisbon and his friends at the CBI. When everyone had left, Lisbon finally felt her bed calling her.

Lisbon grabbed her purse and headed for home, to a shower and maybe some sleep before she joined Jane in his hospital room in the morning. She wanted to be there for him, just off-camera, when he finally met the Judge face to face.


	16. Willie Kill'em?

OK, OK! More Jane, right here!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 16

Willie Kill'em?

Patrick had tried to get out of bed and walk around during the late night hours as boredom, stiffness and truth be told, nerves got the better of him. Unfortunately, he was not as steady on his feet as he hoped he would be by now. His quiet stroll around his bedroom turned into a loud disaster as he lost his balance, eyes spinning with dizziness. He crashed into his bed table, sending his assorted cups, k-basins and jello containers clattering onto the floor. His IV line snagged in the chaos and made his hand bleed again. When the nurse on duty found him he was clinging crazily to the table, trying to right himself and wobble his way back to the safety of his bed.

"Mr. Jane! What are you doing up? If you need anything you should have used the call button and someone would come in to help you!" she quietly admonished him as she cradled him in her arms and guided him back to the edge of the bed. His embarrassment was only slightly overcome by his relief at being back on something that didn't lurch and sway with his every movement.

"Just thought I would take a midnight stroll…" he started to explain to his nurse. She shook her head and helped him recline in his bed as he grabbed the sheets and pulled them over himself, chilled and exhausted by his little adventure.

"Any strolling at midnight should be done in the company of a lady Mr. Jane" she teased. "The concussion you suffered is still making you unsteady on your feet, and the meds you are receiving will make your reaction time a bit slower than you expect. You could have fallen and hurt yourself again." She cleaned up the back of his hand and checked the needle to make sure it had not shifted under his skin. He would have a nasty red bruise there in a few hours.

"Got it" he said, placating the nurse and letting himself off the hook for being so clumsy. She checked his eyes, heart rate, and blood pressure. Deciding her handsome patient was not going to die any time soon, she adjusted his bedding and turned to give him one more lecture.

"Stay in bed Mr. Jane. Call if you want to get up. My back can't take it if I have to lift you up off the floor at 3am. Comprende?"

"Aye aye Captain" he nodded, snuggling down and giving up the fight for the night. Fearing he would not sleep at all now, he fidgeted and tossed around until tiredness overcame him, finally letting him drift off 10 minutes later, visions of a ship's captain wearing a nurse's uniform dancing through his dreams.

By 8 am the next morning Jane was finishing off his breakfast and pushing his buzzer for help in getting to the bathroom for a much desired shower. He was sure that by now he could manage that short walk, but if he fell down again, Captain White Stockings would ream him out. His young nurse came in and removed his IV, much to his relief. In short order she had him in the bathroom and helped Jane start the shower. He managed quite well on his own as long as he sat on a little stool in the shower stall. Drying off took some work but eventually he was quite presentable in his navy blue pajamas. He leaned against the bathroom sink and tried to tame his wet curls into some semblance of order, but without his mousse, he wasn't sure how long it would be before he looked like a surfer that the ocean had just spit out onto the shore. He took a long look in the mirror and was surprised at the rainbow of colours his bruises painted across his face. A stark white steri-strip held his stitches closed on his cheek, in sharp contrast to his naturally tanned complexion. All in all, he looked pretty rough. Seeing as there was nothing he could do to improve his appearance, he switched off the light and turned for the bathroom door.

Jane boldly decided to try again to make his way back to his bed all by himself, and this time he made it without any falls or catastrophes. Quite pleased with himself he lay back on his freshly made up bed and waited for the morning to unfold. By 9:15 his lawyer showed up. Mr. Costa and his assistant set up the laptop that would enable Jane to see the courtroom proceedings, and the Judge to see Jane in his bed. Mr. Costa explained how the arraignment would go and what to expect in the way of a bail settlement. As they were talking a tap on the door alerted them to Lisbon's presence outside.

"Jane? Are you decent?" she asked.

"That depends" he grinned, as she pushed open the door. She had brought him a big mug full of his favourite tea and blueberry muffins for later. Jane broke out in a smile that she had not seen on him in days. Lisbon was happy Jane was feeling so much better. The pain meds overnight had worked wonderfully. Taking an appreciative sip of the tea and settling back, he tried to compose himself for a very big morning.

"Any idea who the Judge is?" Jane asked Mr. Costa.

The lawyer pulled up a chair and read through some paperwork. "It could be Judge Monroe. He's good and fair, but I heard he was feeling ill yesterday in court, so he may not be up to handling court today."

"Who then?"

"Ahh.. then that would have to be Judge Kellam. Judge William Kellam" said Costa unenthusiastically.

Lisbon's head shot up and she gave Costa a pained look before she caught herself. No use worrying Jane, but Judge Kellam was a hard man, a tough on crime Judge up for re-election. His nickname around the courthouse was "Willie Kill'em?" Lisbon prayed Judge Monroe was feeling better today. Kill'em Kellam was bad news.

While Costa and his assistant chatted, Lisbon took the opportunity to fill Jane in on the meeting the team had had last night with Carlson. Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Jane couldn't believe Carslson had actually lowered his pride to re-examine the evidence and even consider the possibility that the girl had lied, just like Jane had insisted on from the first day.

"Someone must have gotten to him Lisbon. No one changes his tune that quickly" he surmised.

Smiling back at Jane, Lisbon nodded in agreement. "His Captain, Burney, sat him down and told him he screwed up so badly handling you that he had to work with us to resolve our issues. For the sake of inter-agency harmony…" she smirked.

'Of course. We can't have cops mad at each other" he said sarcastically.

Lisbon and Jane sat talking a while longer until Mr. Costa approached, clearing his throat to get their attention.

"I'm sorry, but it's time" he said cryptically. For a split second, it occurred to Jane that those words were what a man going to the electric chair heard on his last day of life. Shaking that gloomy idea out of his head, Jane sat up straighter and checked his hair and clothes to make sure he looked his best. Lisbon scooted out of range of the camera but stood close enough to see the screen on the laptop. Her stomach was rolling like she was the one on trial. Wiping her damp hands off on her pant leg, she flashed Jane a smile that she hoped would send the message that everything would be alright. In reality she looked like a frightened rabbit.

"All rise for the Honourable Judge William Kellam!" the bailiff intoned to the assembled group of people in courtroom that morning. Lisbon's heart sank as she saw the Judge who would hold Jane's freedom or continued incarceration in his hands. Kellam looked like a character from a horror movie, his naturally boney frame looking skeletal in his billowing black robe. His downturned nose with a pronounced thin ridge and the absence of hair save a few tufts of white on the front of his otherwise bald head made him look like a scrawny baby crow, neglected and pushed aside when the other chicks took the worm and left him nothing. His paper-thin skin had the blueness that a lack of fat and advanced age painted in thin lines criss crossing his hands and cheeks. All in all it was a baby black crow in the thin form of Kill'em Kellam that stalked into the room. Lisbon and Costa watched Kellam climb up behind the desk towering over the courtroom with a sense of impending doom. Jane glanced at Costa with a touch of concern showing briefly across his face, but Costa would not take his eyes off the screen. After a short lecture to the visitors in court that day reminding them to behave and be respectful, the session began.

Osvaldo Ardiles was the prosecutor arguing against Jane this morning. Judge Kellam slowly and dramatically read out the charges against Jane, then gave Ardiles an opportunity to speak.

"Your Honour, Mr. Jane is an employee of the CBI based here in Sacramento. The citizens of Sacramento expect a high level of trustworthiness from the people who serve and protect them on a daily basis." Pausing dramatically, Ardiles shot a look at the video link and Jane propped up on his pillows. "The crime which Mr. Jane has been accused of is reprehensible and cruel. We must send a strong message to the people of this city that he will not be given preferential treatment just because he is a member of law enforcement. The only property Mr. Jane owns is a run-down house at the edge of Sacramento that is uninhabitable. He is a great flight risk as he has the financial means to travel far away should he decide to avoid his next court appearance."

'That son of a bitch!" thought Lisbon, glaring at Ardiles with renewed hate. He had no love for Jane, but he was trying to use him to further his own career now. Jane stared at Ardiles and made a mental note to hypnotize him at some time in the future. The result would be spectacularly bad for Ardiles. Lisbon just hated him for what he was saying against Jane, whom he had to know would never do such a terrible thing. But Ardiles was all about his career, and convicting Jane would certainly be a feather in his cap. Dammit…

The Judge made some notes then turned his attention to Mr. Costa, who stood close to Jane at the side of his bed.

"Mr. Costa, thoughts?"

'Your Honour, Mr. Jane vigorously denies he had any part in a kidnapping and states the accusation is a falsehood. He is innocent of these charges and has already suffered serious injuries from his short time behind bars, for which we will take suitable legal action. He looks forward to proving his innocence and has every intention of staying in the Sacramento area should his bail request be granted."

The Judge again made a note and then turned his gaze upon Jane, as if just noticing him for the first time.

"Mr. Jane."

"Your Honour…"

"I'm sorry you are unable to be in court today. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes Your Honour, I'm on the mend" he said tactfully.

"Good… good…" the Judge said distractedly, looking at something on his desk.

"Mr. Jane, the crime of aggravated kidnapping is a serious matter, viewed with the same horror as murder by the citizens of the United States" he began.

'Oh no… here we go' thought Lisbon, her heart rate starting to rise. She had seen Kill'em Kellam in action before and this didn't sound good.

"A young woman was traumatized and will need some time to come to terms with what happened to her. This is a heavy load to for her to carry."

The Judge paused and looked at Jane, who was as composed as he could possibly be under the circumstances. Suddenly switching gears, the Judge turned to look at Mr. Costa.

"Does your client request bail at this time?"

Costa quickly glanced at Jane and gave him a small, reassuring smile.

"Yes Your Honour, he does."

"Bail in a case as severe as this would be set at $1,000,000. Can your client meet that obligation Mr. Costa?" said Kellam gravely.

"Yes Your Honour. Mr. Jane has instructed me to make arrangements to post his bail in any amount the court sees fit to impose."

Judge Kellam's eyebrows shot up at that statement. How the hell did a civil servant get that much money? A moment of resentment shot through the Judge, but he moved on and ignored it. The wealth of the accused could not influence his ruling.

"I see." The Judge turned and looked at Jane again. Jane felt like a fly under a microscope and knew that a thousand judgements were rushing through the old Judge's mind at that moment. A long minute of silence reigned in the still courtroom as Kellam considered his judgement. Jane knew the instant Kellam had reached his decision. His eyes had blinked and he had relaxed his shoulders, an obvious tell if you knew what to look for.

Picking up his gavel, the Judge turned once again to face Jane.

"In the matter of bail for the accused Patrick Jane… the seriousness of the crime and the availability of funds to avoid further prosecution presenting a very real possibility of flight, leads me to one conclusion… bail denied. Mr. Jane will remain in custody until his next court date. Dismissed!" he said, banging his gavel and standing up, the session already fading in his interest.

Lisbon let out an audible gasp and Costa turned to Jane, who had sunk back into his pillow, a look of defeat on his bruised face.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jane. I really had hoped the Judge would be amenable to giving you bail under the current circumstances" said Costa, eyeing Jane's battered condition.

Jane only nodded in reply, then turned and looked at Lisbon's stricken face as she approached his bed.

"S'OK Lisbon. It's OK…" he said, trying to make her feel better when in fact, he was the one facing incarceration for an indefinite period of time.

'It's not OK!" she barked. "You didn't do this and the lies keep piling up, higher and higher. You should be looking forward to going home, not going to jail at the CBI!" She dared not mention his looming incarceration in the prison in Harriston.

"But it's your jail, so I can deal with it" Jane said with false acceptance of his shitty situation. "As long as you come and visit me and keep me supplied with tea and muffins, I can manage. Oh and I need a much thicker mattress! My bones can't handle that sad excuse for a mattress the jails in this city consider bedding material!" he scoffed.

Lisbon looked at him and let out a little burst of laughter. God he was infuriating sometimes, but with the hand he had just been dealt, he shouldn't have had to console her. She had to pull herself together and make this go away as soon as possible.

leaned over and took his laptop off the bedside table and sent his assistant off to the car to wait for him. Turning to Jane, he offered his hand.

"I'm sorry things didn't go our way today Mr. Jane. There is never a guarantee that bail will be granted. Good luck with your trial" he said, smiling kindly at Jane and Lisbon, keen to leave them alone to deal with this bad news.

"Thanks anyway" said Jane, wanting this whole episode to end so he could be alone with his thoughts.

Mr. Costa shook Lisbon's hand and then took his leave. Reaching for his muffin, Jane took a long time to peel off the paper wrapper before he took his first bite. Lisbon pulled up a chair and took his hand in hers.

"We're getting closer Jane, closer to proving that Boyd and Carol planned all of this. The evidence looks pretty damning at first glance, but we are pulling it apart and then we'll demand that all charges be dropped."

"Sounds like Carlson has had to eat crow" Jane observed, as he leaned in for another bite.

"Yes, he did, and I think he is leaning more and more towards believing Carol lied to him from the moment she walked into the police station. Now we just have to find her and bring her in to face Cho. When he's done with her we'll have our proof and get you exonerated" she said, looking like the feisty Agent that Jane so admired.

"Go get'em tiger!" Jane grinned. Lisbon sat a little while more with Jane, but repeated phone calls finally convinced her that she had to get back to the office and begin her day there.

"Jane, I gotta go... sorry" she began as she stood up.

"It's fine. I need time to think Lisbon. And so far my accommodations here aren't so bad. Don't worry about me, OK?" he smiled tightly. Lisbon knew he was putting on a good show for her benefit, so she played along. He had lost so much recently, but she wouldn't take his pride away from him.

"All right, be good. Try to stay here as long as you can. Moan and groan if you have to. I can't guarantee such a good bed once you are released into my custody at the CBI" she admonished him as she picked up her shoulder bag and headed for the door. Turning around one last time, she thought she caught a fleeting shadow of worry roll over Jane's face, which he quickly replaced with a dazzling, though false, smile.

"See you soon Lisbon. Bring more tea…" he said as he waved her off. She ducked her head and then exited the room, disappointment and anger pushing her forward to make this miscarriage of justice go away.


	17. Sicker and Sicker

Lots more Jane... and I still do not own the Mentalist...

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 17

Sicker and Sicker

Carol had had a cold and soggy night huddled under the stairs in the filthy factory. No one else had staggered in to present a challenge to her presence there, so she had managed to get a bit of sleep. Now that the sun was pouring through the cracked windows high on the wall, she stood up and stretched the cramped kinks out of her legs. She needed to get downtown to find some of her street friends and bum a few dollars off them and grab some coffee, maybe a bagel as well. She took out her phone and walked across the factory floor, squeezed out of the hole in the wall and passed through the fence, taking off at a run towards the city. Five minutes later she ducked into an alley and placed a call to Boyd. He picked up on the 4th ring, annoyed at being awakened so early in the morning.

"What!" he sniped into the phone, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as his newest sexual conquest rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head.

"Boyd sweetie, it's me! Carol!"

"I can see that, whaddya want?" he replied cruelly.

Carol was taken aback at his harsh tone, but put it down to his just waking up. She always made excuses for the rough treatment her men dished out to her.

"I'm on the run, on my way downtown" she began before he cut her off.

"Why the hell did you leave your brother's house? That wasn't the plan stupid! You need to be there playing the victim! This is gonna look bad!" he shouted, his low opinion of her getting lower.

"But I had to Boyd, things got bad over there and I had to get outta there last night" she whined. "Can you come and get me? Maybe put me up wherever you're staying?" she begged him.

Boyd looked at the woman dozing in his bed and didn't want her to overhear this conversation, so he stood up and went into his garbage strewn kitchen.

"You stay away from me until I call you! Give me time to think this through now that you've screwed everything up you idiot!" he yelled at her.

Carol burst into tears and hoped she hadn't ruined her relationship with her man. Boyd could be so mean sometimes. She hung up and wiped her tear stained face, streaking the dust on her cheeks into a gray smudge. Placing her phone back into her backpack she walked back onto the sidewalk crowded with people hurrying to work and blended in as much as possible, head down and shoulders hunched up.

Boyd stood in his kitchen, phone in hand and let out a string of curses. He had needed a girl like Carol to make his plan work but God Almighty, she was the dumbest chick he had ever met. If she could just hold it together long enough to get through the trial without blowing it, he would have his revenge against Jane. That one thought kept him going, savouring his need to avenge his father. Jane would rue the day he ever crossed paths with him.

Grabbing a beer out of the fridge, he sat down at the kitchen table and thought things through. Carol had run away. This made it look bad for her and her story. Why would the victim take off and risk missing the trial and giving her testimony? What if the cops used this against her and broke her down, interrogated her in a much more aggressive manner? Would she be able to withstand the questioning without screwing up her story? Boyd had a bad feeling that the answer to all of his questions was a big fat 'no'. If Carol couldn't be trusted to go to court and convince a jury that Jane had kidnapped her and abused her, then he had figure out how to deal with her. Nursing his beer and a growing sense of frustration with the first signs of his plan unravelling, Boyd headed to the shower to join his new girlfriend. He liked them young and dumb, but he was regretting his friendship with the dumbest one of all, Carol Johansson.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane lay in bed in a funk. It was still early in the day and his hopes for freedom had been destroyed by Judge Kellam. There was nothing for him to do and boredom was to be avoided at all costs. He had not requested any books to read because up until now, his eyes were too unfocused to follow a line of print. Lisbon hadn't brought the files in for him to study, although up until today, he wouldn't have been able to help much anyway with his medicated haze getting in the way of his thought processes. His headache was still sitting there, like a large cat just waiting to pounce and lay claim to his brain. There was no TV in his room and he wasn't sure he would want to watch daytime TV anyway. He could hazard going for a walk, but would his guard Frank allow it? He thought not. The room was not large, but maybe he could kill a bit of time circumnavigating the wilds of his private room for a little while. Eventually he settled for making his way over to the chair by the window and watched the city move at its' frenetic pace a few floors below him. "Where are you Boyd?" he thought, watching the people scurry down the avenues and cross the streets on their way to and from their jobs and shops. Someone out there knew why he had been targeted for this crime, this fake crime. He watched the cityscape until he fell asleep in the chair, bored and finally cold, dressed only in his cotton pajamas, his feet bare on the hard floor. When the nurse came in to check on him he was chilled to the touch and restlessly dreaming, his face contorted in anger and frustration. Any peace that sleep should bring was not going to visit him today, maybe not for a long time, not until he finally fought his way out from under this cloud of infamy. The nurse covered him up with a light sheet and left him to sleep a bit longer. She would make sure he was alright in a little while.

(Anita Johansson's Apartment)

Anita Johansson spent her days keeping as busy as possible, trying not to worry about Carol. But as long as Carol was with Jim, she would be OK, she was sure of it. She was unaware that her daughter had run away, since Jim didn't want to worry her further. That lady cop had asked what Carol's boyfriend's name was and for the life of her she couldn't remember. It was bothering her that she could not find the paper she had written his name on but she would keep looking whenever she had a chance. Today was a day off and she decided to turn her small apartment inside out to find that paper, if she had not thrown it out by mistake ages ago. The hours passed as she checked drawers and cabinets, pockets and purses, but still, no name. Her memory was reliable but not perfect. She finally called it quits when she had searched as much as she could, all to no avail. She must have thrown it out after all.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane awoke with a jolt when a meal cart banged into his door and an attendant dropped his tray onto his bed table. The sun was much lower in the sky now. He must have been out for a few hours. Good. That was time not spent in boredom. Jane slowly rose out of his chair and shuffled his way over to the bed, sliding his legs up and over the mattress, grateful for the covers once again. The supper smelled like all hospital meals, a combination of dampness and lukewarm mystery. Lifting the lid on his plate, Jane stared at a lump of brown meat, origin unknown, accompanied by a cold congealed lump of what might have been a potato at some time in the past, but which now belonged in the Smithsonian Institute in the oddities department. A scattering of peas rounded out this sumptuous feast, to be followed by a cup of applesauce and a dry oatmeal cookie. A choice between orange juice or lukewarm coffee was the grand finale to wash this disappointment of a supper down his throat. Jane took the cookie, applesauce and juice, and re-covered the plate with the lid, shoving it as far away from his nose as he could manage. Hopefully someone would take it away and give it a proper burial.

A little while later a volunteer entered his room with trepidation, her cart loaded with magazines and newspapers. She was not sure who she would meet, but the armed guard outside the door indicated that this man must be dangerous, crazy or maybe both. She approached Jane with caution and stared at him, her need to do her job only slightly overruling her desire to run for her life.

"Are some of those for me?" asked Jane sweetly, seeing her apprehension. "How thoughtful of you!"

"Uhhh, yes sir… take what you want…" she squeaked, holding her arms out like she was giving away her baby.

Jane took pains to scan the covers of the magazines and chose a current edition of the local newspaper, then thanked her profusely. Seeing her so afraid of him made him feel diminished, and again, criminalized.

"You're welcome!" she blurted out and turned for the door, her cart banging into the wall in her haste, lucky to have escaped with her life. She would have an amazing story to tell her girlfriends when she got back to school tomorrow. She had faced a very dangerous criminal and did her job anyway!

It was getting late, and his headache had returned to plague him, but it was a headache born of frustration more than trauma, knocking against the front of his head like a sledgehammer. Now he knew how Lisbon felt so much of the time. He pulled his blanket up to his chin and nestled underneath, feeling the warmth build around his body in the already warm room. If he could just walk out of here and poke around himself, to find some piece of overlooked evidence and present it to the DA in a grand display of 'I told you so" he would do it. But pulling a runner and leaving the hospital to snoop around would only darken his name further and put a target on his back as an escapee. It would be his luck to be shot by an overly enthusiastic cop trying to bring down this dangerous kidnapper. No, he had to stay put and play sick for as long as he could until he ended up in a real jail, with real bars. How could his neighbours not have seen anything unusual going on at the house when he wasn't there? Were they that uninterested in their new neighbour that they never looked out their windows? And what about Murf? Surely he saw something and told Lisbon and her team. But Lisbon had assured him that no one saw anything untoward happening at his house, just his coming and going. So, no help would come from that dead end. He lay back and grinned at the memory of Murf, his new on and off again friend. What a gem he was. He realized he might never see him again. Just another person who would be lost to him very soon if he didn't clear his name.

The door to his room opened just as he kicked off his blanket. His young nurse came in with some meds in a little white paper cup. Jane hated taking pills, but so far they had kept his headache down to a dull roar now that his IV had been disconnected. Nurse Miri was dark haired and tiny, gentle but strong. Jane had liked her immediately for her no-nonsense approach but evident kindness. She didn't seem to be fazed in the least that Mr. Jane was actually under arrest and had a guard posted at his door. For that acceptance, Jane was also grateful.

"Time for your meds Mr. Jane" she said, approaching his bed with a glass of water. "How's the head now?" she asked.

"Terrible actually" he said, honestly. "Whatever was in the IV was doing the trick, but now I can hardly see straight" he stressed, wrinkling up his face in distress. It was all true, but he was laying the drama on a bit thick, for his own self-preservation at the Hotel St. Marks.

Nurse Miri put down the pill container and water and leaned in, examining his eyes. She put her hand on his forehead and took note of a slight fever and clammy skin when she touched his face and hands.

"Are you feeling sick Mr. Jane, other than the headache?" she asked in concern. Jane was feeling a bit hot, but he had been under the blanket. Maybe he should play this up a bit, maybe delay being discharged to the custody of the CBI, and his jail cell.

"A bit… it started a while ago" he lied. He had stayed under the covers when he returned to bed from his chair, so now he was so hot he had broken out in a sweat. Et voila! His nurse came in and found him distressed, feverish and ill. She took out a thermometer and took his temperature, feeling his pulse race and confirmed that he had taken a turn for the worse. She picked up his pills and left the room, promising to return soon. Jane nodded weakly and dove under the covers again. This con would only work for so long before they figured out something didn't add up, but it would keep him out of jail for a few more days if he was lucky. His blanket was too warm for his room but he kept it on for as long as he could, then threw it off as the perspiration beaded up on his forehead. A few minutes later the door opened and Dr. Simard strode in followed by Nurse Miri. Jane actually felt bad for deluding her, but he had his reasons for his actions and she was a very committed nurse. They both had a job to do.

"So Mr. Jane… not doing so well tonight?" said Dr. Simard, taking out his stethoscope and listening to his chest. Can you cough for me?" he asked.

Jane obliged and forced himself to cough as hard as he could, but that only hurt his cracked ribs and he moaned a genuine assortment of 'oww's" and had a real coughing fit as the pain surged through his chest.

Dr. Simard looked at Jane's chart and made some notes, not happy with the decline in the man's condition. But laying down for days on end did cause the lungs to fill with fluid and could lead to an infection. Perhaps he caught a chill with his shower this morning? The pain from his ribs could be masking chest pain from an infection as well. Best take precautionary measures and send Mr. Jane down for a chest x-ray to rule out the beginning of pneumonia.

"How's the tummy?" the doctor asked while he pressed hard into Jane's abdomen. His tummy was just fine but his extensive abdominal bruising caused him to take a quick intake of breath, his face showing the pain of the examination.

"Tender?" asked the doctor.

"Oooo! Yes!" replied Jane, breathing a bit easier now that the doctor wasn't causing the pain anymore. While he wasn't actually sick, the examination was making him feel terrible!

Studying his notes, the doctor turned to examine Jane's hot face. "Ok, we'll send you down for some x-rays and keep an eye on your temperature. There may be something else going on inside that could be completely unrelated to the beating you suffered. Sometimes an appendix can suddenly rupture after such a physical assault, and we don't want to miss any indications of that. We'll do some blood work and then we'd better put you back on the IV and administer your pain medication that way instead of by mouth. If you do have an infection, we'll add antibiotics to your IV as well. "

"Ok, thanks" Jane said meekly, almost believing he was a very sick man. The doctor left to make arrangements for Jane's tests, and Nurse Miri came over and gave his hand a quick squeeze.

"We'll have you feeling better before you know it" she smiled.

"Thanks, I'm sure you will" he smiled back, relaxing back into his pillow with relief. He wasn't going to jail tonight!

His head still pounded and he hated that damned IV needle in the back of his hand, but sacrifices had to be made, and he could put up with that small annoyance until he had no other options left. He tried to sleep but 10 minutes later his door opened and a no-nonsense nurse entered carrying a bag of IV solution and a large needle. He eyed her apprehensively as she approached his bed.

"OK Mr. Jane… this won't hurt a bit…" she smiled.

Groaning under his breath, Jane muttered to himself. "Liar liar, pants on fire…"


	18. Hot Hot Hot

Lots more Jane... and I still do not own the Mentalist... I'm far ahead in my writing, and last night I wrote a very important scene. Can't wait to publish it!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 18

Hot Hot Hot

(Sacramento)

Carol wandered around the backstreets of the city, avoiding busy shopping areas and dodging any cops she saw walking around. She was pretty good at this game, having pulled a few shoplifting jobs as a teen and never getting caught when she ran off with her loot. She hoped Boyd would call her soon, real soon. She felt exposed and naked out here without someone watching out for her. She hated the idea of giving in and going back to Jim's house. And what if the cops found out she had run away? They would ask 'way too many questions and she couldn't have that. No, she could always say she freaked out from all the tension in her brother's house, on top of the horrible trauma she had just lived through. Yeah, that's what she'd say if push came to shove. After all, that Detective was more than willing to believe everything she had said about Patrick Jane. With him on her side she would get through the trial just fine and then she and Boyd would run for the great outdoors he loved so much. She couldn't wait to leave Sacramento once and for all and go up into the mountains with Boyd. He could live up there forever without anyone ever finding them again! That idea sustained her as she walked all the stinking back alleys, avoiding drunks and druggies, wishing she was with her man again. If she remembered correctly, Big Mouth Alice always hung out on 4th Avenue. She had become friendly with Big Mouth back when she ran away from home on a weekly basis and Alice always took her in. If Alice was still in Sacramento, that's where she would be. Carol started to jog towards 4th Avenue, her spirits suddenly bolstered by the hope that maybe she would sleep inside tonight and not in a urine soaked abandoned building. As long as she didn't run into family or cops, she would be alright. She just knew it. And maybe by tomorrow, Boyd would be in a much friendlier state of mind.

(CBI, Morning)

The morning brought a renewed sense of urgency to Lisbon and her team. Yesterday had been a roller coaster of highs and lows. Jane had been so hopeful to be granted bail, and that was quashed by Judge Kellam. Keeping his spirits up now would entail finding something new and compelling in the way of evidence that Ardiles would consider good enough to drop the charges against him. That was Lisbon's goal today, finding that one tiny thing that had somehow been overlooked. By now she knew Jane would be up and fidgety, desperate to get out of the hospital if his condition allowed it, but his release from the protective shell of the hospital would ultimately land him in her jail, or prison. She hoped he had taken her admonishment to 'play sick' to heart. Dr. Simard was a kind man, but he would discharge Jane if he thought he could cope outside of the hospital, and if they needed the bed for someone sicker. So many conditions to consider, so many people in control of Jane's life now. She checked in at the CBI before going to the hospital, hoping her team had something new to tell her. Carlson was at SAC PD checking some of the forensic reports, still not 100% on Team Jane, but definitely considering the possibility that the charges might have to be dropped.

"Anything else in Carlson's files I need to know?" asked Lisbon, fearing more bad news.

Rigsby looked at Van Pelt and pursed his lips. "A bit, yeah…"

Lisbon waited for the information but Rigsby was finding it hard to tell her. So it was bad news.

"What? More from forensics?" she asked.

"We found a report in the file that shows Carol's hair and skin cells in Jane's bedding. Her fingerprints are on the bed frame, hair in the bathroom…" he said sadly.

"How do we explain those away?" asked Van Pelt.

Shaking her head in consternation, Lisbon was at a loss to explain this new and damning evidence. Carol had been in the house, there was no doubt about it. And in Jane's little bed… Whoever had planned this frame had thought it out quite well. They knew what kind of car Jane drove, knew his schedule, even when he didn't stick to it, and his habits of late. Obviously he had been under surveillance by someone with all the time in the world to make this con work. There had to be an eye witness somewhere, someone they had missed.

"Are you sure you spoke to everyone in Jane's neighbourhood?" asked Lisbon with desperation.

"I'm sorry Boss, we've spoken to everyone around Jane's house and no saw anything unusual, just Jane coming and going with building supplies. They pretty much ignored him. Nothing shows up on the security tapes we took from local businesses and the few home security cameras on his street weren't aimed anywhere near Jane's house" said Van Pelt with disappointment.

"We knocked on every door - nothing" added Rigsby.

"So no proof anyone else was ever at the house to leave incriminating evidence behind…" said Lisbon with exasperation.

"Why not talk to Jane again, see if he remembers anything new now that his head is more clear?" Cho suggested.

"I'm going over to see him this morning. I'll ask, but I gotta say, I think it's a dead end" Lisbon admitted.

"We could go and interview everyone again if you think it would help" suggested Van Pelt, eager to grasp at straws.

Lisbon smiled and shook her head. No, they needed to focus their resources somewhere new.

And pray...

Lisbon left her people busy digging through reports and she drove off to pick up tea and pastries at Marie's on the way to visit with Jane and keep his hopes up.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane was sitting up in bed, ignoring most of his lousy breakfast and desperately in need of real tea when she finally knocked on his door and poked her head in his room.

"If you don't have tea and baked goods, approach with caution" he warned her.

"I'm safe then" Lisbon grinned, handing him his tea and the paper bag with goodies. Jane took a contented sip and dug around in the bag, coming up with sticky icing on his fingers, grasping a warm chocolate covered croissant.

"Nice change from blueberry muffins" he smiled approvingly.

"I know my pastries" Lisbon agreed, taking one for herself.

A few minutes of companionable silence reigned while they both indulged their sweet tooth, then Lisbon got back to business.

"How're you feeling today? How's the head?"

"Eh… better, much better actually" Jane admitted. Lisbon noticed the IV needle back in his hand again. Pointing at it, she had to ask.

"I thought that was removed yesterday morning."

Jane shifted in his bed and tried to hide a little smile. "I had to do a bit of play acting last night. Not that I didn't actually have a terrible headache, but I convinced Dr. Simard that I was taking a turn for the worse and he put me back on an IV, you know, just in case. He ordered x-rays and everything… worried about my appendix!" he grinned.

Lisbon laughed too, understanding his devious tactics to avoid jail.

"Well done, I'm so proud of you!" she smirked. "So, how's the appendix today?" she teased.

"It all depends on how soon you get the charges dropped" he deadpanned. "I may need major surgery otherwise."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen!" she snorted.

"Never say never, I still have that little useless appendage!" he answered, looking offended.

This is what he missed, the banter and teasing that happened every day at the CBI, and come to think of it, whenever he and Lisbon spent any time together. Never having that again if he went to prison was just unthinkable.

Wiping his hands off on a napkin, he settled back with his tea and turned his full attention to her now.

"So, get me outta here" he said, meaning every single word. The sincerity in Jane's eyes made Lisbon's heart ache.

"How? Unless we can prove you never met Carol, or unless you can get someone to come forward and say they saw something odd back at the house you bought, we're at a standstill. We've made great progress so far, but Ardiles won't accept what we have. We need to hit him with evidence so strong he will run to Judge Kellam to have the charges dropped."

Jane nodded, disappointment clearly etched in his face.

"Not even Murf helped huh?" he said distractedly.

Lisbon looked up, catching his eye. "Who?"

Jane stared back at her, surprised she wasn't on board with his comment.

"Murf… the guy in my neighbourhood, Murf the Surf!" he repeated.

"Jane, I have no what you're talking about, but we interviewed every single neighbour and businessman on your street. I don't remember a man named Murphy on our list of names."

Jane got agitated and realized somehow a mistake had been made.

"Lisbon, Murf the Surf isn't a neighbour who lives on my street. He's this guy who just shows up early in the morning or late at night to fly his RPV."

"RPV… surfer…. Jane, what are you talking about?"

Jane cleared away the papers and crumbs from his treat from Marie's and grasped Lisbon's hand, his excitement contagious.

"Ok. I'll back up. I've been working on my house on and off for a few weeks now. One evening about 10 days ago, I was sitting outside on my front steps cooling down with a beer, and I saw this tall, blond guy standing in the empty lot next to my house. He seemed to be flying some kind of remote controlled airplane or something, but is was unlike anything I had ever seen. When he took a break I called him over."

"Could he be a witness for you?" asked Lisbon excitedly.

"We'll get there" said Jane, taking his time. "This surfer type guy came over when I waved. He thought I was angry that he was flying his RPV so close to my house. I gave him a beer and asked him all about his machine. Great guy by the way!" Jane smiled at the memory of his crazy new friend.

"Jane! What's an RPV? I'm totally confused!" huffed Lisbon, desperate that he get to the point of all this.

"Murf is a brilliant guy, went to University when he was 15 and graduated 2 years later with a double degree. After he graduated, he spent most of his time surfing all the best beaches in Southern California… Topanga, Malibu, Rincon, Huntington, even Venice Beach, but he said there were way too many tourists there" he elaborated.

"Jane!"

Grinning now, Jane took another sip of his tea and continued. "He's gone all around the world surfing, but eventually he needed to go to work. Silicon Valley was thrilled when he showed up at their door and he's been inventing and building things ever since. The RPV, or remotely piloted vehicle, is a type of remotely controlled flying device, in use at the moment mostly by the military. Murf says that ten years from now everyone will have access to much more streamlined versions just to play with. He called his a 'drone'."

"Why is this important Jane?" asked Lisbon.

"Murf had put a small camera on his drone and flew it all around the neighbourhood, in and out of backyards and out into the edges of the city. He was fine tuning the camera so that it would relay better pictures or video back to him while he was watching on a monitor" he said, seeing the understanding in Lisbon's eyes.

"I was so disappointed that Murf didn't have anything useful on film for us to use to get me out of here" he said, but Lisbon cut him off.

'But we didn't interview Murf! Jane, no one except you knew about Murf and you were too sick to mention him sooner!"

Jane looked surprised at this bad bit of news, then picked up the newspaper he had discarded and looked at the date.

"Murf only came out to my street when it was either very early or late at night. He didn't want to bother the neighbours with his drone. He was up here in Sacramento to get his mother settled into a health care facility and has to get back to work on Monday. He will be gone sometime in the next day or two, and once he leaves, we will have lost our best chance to check out his camera and whatever he caught on film!" said Jane, feeling the hours slipping away from him faster and faster now.

"I'll get Rigsby and Cho out there right now to find him" stated Lisbon, pulling out her phone.

Jane waved her phone away, shaking his head. "Don't bother. You've already missed him this morning. He'll be with his mother now. Our best chance to find Murf is tonight, late, when he might come back one last time before he leaves for San Francisco. That's when Cho and Rigs need to be on stakeout."

"Ok, I'll set that up. This is good, very good. This might be the break we've been looking for Jane!" Lisbon beamed, her smile a refreshing change from the gloom he was feeling before she arrived.

A quick knock on his door announced the arrival of Dr. Simard and Nurse Miri. Lisbon started to get up to give them some privacy, but the doctor indicated that she could stay. He approached the bed and took Jane's pulse, then checked his eyes and his temperature.

"Let me see you get up and walk Mr. Jane" he commanded his patient. Jane had a bad feeling his time had run out. He swung his pajama clad legs over the edge of the bed and stood up carefully. Giving Lisbon a lukewarm smile, he began to stroll across the room as Miri guided his IV pole. He made it to the far side of the room and came back under the quiet gaze of Dr. Simard. Sitting down again, he watched Simard make some notes in his chart.

"Ok Mr. Jane. It seems that the additional medication in your IV last night is just what you needed. All tests indicate that your concussion is well on it's way to healing beautifully. Just remember what I told you, no more knocks to the head. You must be careful not re-injure yourself in the future. As to your fever, it's gone this morning and from the way you're walking your ribs and bruising are not impeding your ability to get around. All in all, you are doing very well I'm pleased to say!" he said happily, not aware that this news was exactly what Jane and Lisbon did not want to hear today, not yet anyway.

"We'll watch your temperature the rest of the day and see if it stays where it belongs. If all goes well, you could be discharged by this evening or tomorrow morning." Turning to smile at Lisbon as he left, Dr. Simard gave Jane a final "See you later!" and then he strode out of the room as quickly as he had arrived, Miri following in his wake.

Jane's shoulder's sagged at the realization that his next destination was a tiny cold jail cell, right below the bullpen containing his friends. It was frustrating and humiliating. Lisbon came over and put her hand on his shoulder, aching with the same feeling of injustice.

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out" she said softly. What she didn't have the heart to tell Jane was that now that the arraignment had taken place, and he had lost his bid for release on bail, his next destination might be the Federal Prison in Harriston. Carlson had told him this would happen back on Monday, when he sat in Carlson's interrogation room. So much had happened since then, Jane had forgotten, and Lisbon hated to be the one to tell him. When he went to the Federal Prison, he would truly be in danger. A cop is a cop is a cop, that's what the other prisoners would think, not believing for an instant that Jane was really a civilian.

Jane saw Lisbon lost in thought and brought her back to the present. "Just find Murf. Find him and get his camera and videos. Without that evidence… " he began, but just shook his head in annoyance, folding himself up into a tight ball under his covers.

"Are you going to be alright?" asked Lisbon, knowing he couldn't possibly be OK with this stalled investigation. 'Stay sick Jane. I mean it!" she warned him.

Jane raised his head and gave her a small smile. "Leave it to me…" he said cryptically, then he inched his covers up even higher and turned his back to her. Feeling she was being dismissed, Lisbon rubbed his shoulder again and headed for the door.

"We'll find him Jane. Cho and Rigs will find Murf and we'll get you out of here once and for all" she said, sounding more assured than she really felt. He hardly heard the door shut as his mind got busy.

(CBI)

Lisbon arrived back at the CBI flushed with excitement. News of Murf and his RPV thing was just the break they had hoped for. Unfortunately Jane had been too injured to mention Murf earlier in the week, but better late than never. Now if they could get their proof of Jane's innocence before the Federal Officers showed up looking for Jane, she would spare him the trip to prison. Gathering her team around her, Lisbon explained her conversation with Jane to them and they made plans for the stakeout later that day. Deciding to be pro-active, Lisbon placed a call to Anita Johansson, hoping to discover that she had remembered Boyd's last name. Anita answered and soon dashed Lisbon's hopes. Still no last name. Promising to keep looking, Anita hung up and got out of chair, resuming her search yet again. Lisbon called Jim Johansson to see if Carol had made contact with him, but that was a dead end too. He knew she had her safe places to hide out and friends on the street who would keep her hidden if that is what Carol wanted. Lisbon contemplated sending a young looking agent out onto the streets undercover, to snoop around and see if any news of Carol could be talked out of someone. Setting that in motion, Lisbon sat in her office, her paperwork staring at her in silent mockery. She had not touched it since this whole fiasco began. Not being able to change anything else today to catch Carol and Boyd or to set Jane free, she dove into her mind numbing pile of reports and kept her head down until Van Pelt finally dragged her away for a quick lunch. The whole team needed to keep their spirits up.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane kept himself under his covers all morning, getting hotter and hotter. The room was already more than warm and he was sweating profusely. He had noticed a scratchiness in his throat and realized he was getting a cold. Probably from sleeping in that chair for so long with his bare feet getting chilled on the hard floor the other day. Good, he could use that for once. When his lunch was brought in, he ignored it. That wasn't a huge sacrifice since it looked awful, but he really was hungry. He pushed it aside and didn't drink any juice or water, all the better to look dehydrated. The tea and croissant from that morning would have to sustain him until he decided he could no longer continue this ruse. Now, to get as sick as possible!

He dozed off with the heat in his room and boredom overcoming him, and didn't hear Miri enter his room at 1pm. She silently took note of the untouched food and found her patient hot and perspiring profusely. Taking his pulse she noted an elevated heart rate. Jane jolted awake when he felt her cool fingers on his wrist and began his performance in earnest. A little self hypnosis had worked wonders on his ability to modulate his heart rate and his breathing, which was now raspy and shallow.

"Mr. Jane, how are you feeling?" she asked him with concern. Jane gazed at her with glassy eyes and tried to speak, but his dry mouth and sore throat just resulted in a scratchy croak. Wiping his hand over his sweaty face, he suddenly sat up and made agonized retching sounds, looking all the world like he was about to throw up. Grabbing the K-basin, Miri held it under his chin and he forced himself to expel his delicious tea into the stainless steel receptacle. It tasted decidedly worse coming up than it had going down. Now he proceeded to get the shakes as she pressed a cool cloth against his forehead and upper chest.

Miri scowled with concern. Poor Mr. Jane, he had seemed so much better this morning, but obviously something was working its' way through his system. Hospitals were a hotbed of bugs and germs. Most likely he had picked up something in the last 24 hours and he was just getting worse. She rang a buzzer and sat with him, trying to cool him down as he moved restlessly around in the bed, his eyes closed and a low moan escaping his throat. Moments later the Head Nurse came in and on discussion with Miri, checked Jane out herself, making notes on his chart with a slight shake of her head. Finally both nurses left Jane temporarily and he got busy again. He got out of bed as quickly as he could move with that ridiculous IV taped to his hand. He ran hot water on his hands and face, upper chest and neck. His heart jumped with the bite of the hot water and then he dashed back into bed, his heart pounding for real now with his plan giving him a shot of adrenaline. God he was hot but he need to stay just where he was. A short time later Dr. Simard returned and gazed at his flushed patient again.

"Looks like you've picked up some kind of bug Mr. Jane."

Jane opened one eye and weakly nodded his damp curls at the good Doctor. "Sore throat" he rasped, actually not telling a lie.

"Ok, well, we can start you on an antibiotic in your IV solution to beat back whatever is running through your system. I'm sorry, but you will have to stay with us until we get your temperature back under control. Please try to be patient Mr. Jane, I know you've had a rough week" Dr. Simard said kindly.

Jane nodded solemnly and wheezed out a cough, holding his breath to make a truly agonizing sound. The doctor spoke to his nurse and left the room, hoping his patient could fight off whatever was making him sick. That poor man had been through enough already.

As Jane allowed himself to relax, he kept the blankets up around his ears to make sure the perspiration continued to sit on his forehead for as long as there was someone to be impressed by it. Miri slipped in quietly and added something to his IV tubing and gave him a smile. After she left the room he sat up and lunged for the water on his bedside table. He was parched!

Whatever the good doctor had added to his medication soon had Jane fast asleep. The afternoon passed in blissful nothingness and he was only vaguely aware of his supper being deposited on his tray many hours later.


	19. The Serpent's Smile

Another chapter. Enjoy!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 19

The Serpent's Smile

Lisbon returned to her office refreshed by her lunch with Van Pelt. The pile of paperwork still sat in the middle of her desk, mocking her with its' silent intrusion into her plans to work on getting Jane exonerated and nothing else. She grabbed the first form to fill in when a slight tap on the door alerted her to Bertram's presence. Growling quietly to herself, she plastered a smile on her face and waved her boss in.

"Good to see you catching up with your endless pile of reports Agent Lisbon. It's a burden we all have to carry…" Bertram stated, while giving her a condescending dig at the same time.

"Yes Sir, it never ends" she nodded, indicating a chair to him. Bertram sat down and seemed more relaxed that he had been at their last meeting. Lisbon did not take that as a good sign. He held a manila envelope in his hands and was fiddling with it while he gazed around her office, seemingly preoccupied with his thoughts.

"Sir? How can I help you? As you can see, I'm trying to catch up" she said, waving her hand over her large pile of unfinished reports.

"Yes. Well, don't let me keep you from your work. I just stopped by to let you know I have been in contact with the Warden over at the Federal Prison in Harriston" he said with a feral gleam in his eyes.

"Why would you be talking to him?" asked Lisbon, a sick feeling welling up in her gut.

"Lisbon, Jane's arraignment went badly, we both know that. In the next couple of days, maybe sooner, he will be released from the hospital and will be coming here to our jail. After that, he will be transported to the prison in Harriston as soon as his transfer papers arrive. I decided to request those papers now, since there is nothing to be gained by having Jane sit here in our jail any longer than necessary."

"But Sir! We're gathering new evidence every day that points to Jane's innocence. If we can get just a bit more, we will present it to Ardiles and Judge Kellam and ask for all charges to be dropped!"

"And I find that admirable Agent, truly, I do. But we both know the chances of that happening before his transfer comes in is slim at best." Bertram leaned forward and stared at Lisbon.

" Very. Slim."

Bertram stood up and handed her the manila folder. "Why don't you fill out Jane's prison transfer forms Agent Lisbon?" he said, with a look that could have frozen the coffee in her mug.

"After all, there's no time like the present" he grinned, then turned and left her office whistling an off tune melody. Lisbon sat at her desk, unable to move, to think, to curse even. That slimy snake had choreographed Jane's upgraded date with the prison Warden but wanted her to do the dirty work. Well he could just go and screw himself she thought, tossing the folder into her bottom drawer, locking it afterward. Let it sit there until she had no other recourse but to fill it in. Damn that bastard!

Lisbon stood up and stalked out of her office, careful to avoid Bertram for the rest of the afternoon. By 2pm Carlson had come back and once again, he and the agents of the CBI spread out the evidence against Jane on the conference table. All of it implicated Jane. All of it was fake and carefully placed around the house and in his bed. Not much had been overlooked. Carol gave a great description of the unique blue Citroen that Jane always drove around town. How easy would it be for her to just lean against the car anywhere he parked it recently and plaster her fingerprints all over the door handle and hood. It didn't matter if her prints were not inside the car. Ardiles could argue that Jane had wiped down the interior passenger side of the car just in case. So, that didn't work in his favour. A half eaten sandwich had been found on the kitchen table, on the side where Carol had apparently been sitting tied up. The half oval bite mark would be compared to her dental records. Lisbon knew that the bite pattern would be Carol's. Boyd had even thought of that. The afternoon passed in a depressing scrutiny of Carlson's file, with Carlson himself vacillating between arguing vigorously in favour of Jane's guilt and then expressing concern that maybe, Jane was being framed. Lisbon couldn't wait for Cho and Rigsby to go and stake out the empty parking lot next to Jane's old house. If Murf failed to show up, if they had missed their last chance to meet him, then Lisbon would have no other option but to fill out Jane's transfer papers and see him shipped off to the state prison. Her head was splitting with a massive migraine from the stress of the day, Bertram's nasty little surprise this afternoon being the icing on a very bitter cake.

Finally it was time for Cho and Rigs to leave for supper and then their stakeout at the empty lot. Lisbon was a bundle of nerves and kept herself busy doing mindless paperwork. She would stretch it out for as long as possible then visit Jane at the hospital. It might be her last chance to see him without bars blocking their view of each other.

The elevator was crowded with early evening visitors and Lisbon stepped out onto Jane's floor in a crush of bodies. The CBI guard, Frank, was still at his post outside Jane's door. Lisbon gave him a coffee and donut and knocked on the door. At Jane's response, she entered his room and found him red-faced and feverish.

"Jane! What's wrong? Are you alright?" she asked, filled with concern.

He wiped his face with his supper napkin and gave her a blinding smile.

"I'm fine Lisbon, just all part of the act. I was this close to being released" he said, putting his fingers together . "I needed to take a nosedive for the worse, and so here I am, sick with a fever and God knows what else" he laughed. "Can you give me some cold water, I am bone dry!" he begged her.

Lisbon just shook her head in amazement at Jane's ability to fool even the very bright Dr. Simard. Handing a cup of water over to him she sat down and let her guard down.

"This can't go on much longer Jane."

"I know. I think the good doctor is getting suspicious" he agreed. "But so far… so good" he grinned.

"Jane...Bertram called up the Warden at the state prison and had your transfer paperwork sent sooner than we expected. He told me I have to fill it out. But I won't do it! Once I do that, you can be picked up the minute Dr. Simard says you are well enough to be discharged. Once you go into the prison system, my access to you will be severely limited" she said sadly.

"Same old Bertram. He must be loving this" Jane said nodding his head. "I wonder if Red John's trolls will pay me a visit there?" he said with grim resignation.

This thought left Lisbon shaken. "We can't let that happen. Cho and Rigsby are going to stake out the empty lot tonight and try to find Murf. When they do, we might get the evidence we need to get your charges dropped."

"Good. That's all we can do Lisbon, so cheer up. Let's enjoy our visit while we can" said Jane, sprawling comfortably in his bed, his second home now. They spent the next two hours visiting and planning and generally keeping each other's spirits up. There was little else they could do.

(Empty Lot)

As evening descended on Sacramento, Cho and Rigsby pulled up at the far end of the street facing the empty lot. A lone street light illuminated the space, casting them into darkness. With luck, no one would notice them sitting in their large black SUV.

A few hours passed with no sign of Murf. Rigsby was getting antsy, as usual. He wasn't the best stakeout partner.

"Maybe he doesn't come out all the time, maybe he's out with friends and we won't find him in time" groused Rigs. Cho just harrumphed into his book and hoped his partner wasn't right this time.

"What are you reading?" asked Rigsby in boredom.

"How to Deal With Annoying People" said Cho.

"Really?" asked Rigsby, offended.

"No" replied Cho, smirking slightly.

Rigsby just shook his head and busied himself with his phone. Half an hour later Rigs was looking for food in the SUV and driving Cho nuts. Cho sighed with exasperation, but sat up at attention when he saw a man suddenly come skateboarding into view, sailing down the middle of the empty street. 'Could this be our guy?'

The tall blonde man rode his skateboard over to the empty lot and took no notice of the black SUV parked out of the way at the far end of the lot. He proceeded to take a large object out from under his arm, affixed a tiny camera to it and sent it aloft. He controlled it from the ground and flew it over several houses before it came back to him. He was making some adjustments to it when Cho and Rigs silently approached him, scaring him half to death.

"Mr. Murphy?" said Cho, startling the guy.

"Whoa! Didn't see you two Men In Black dudes! Wassup my friends?" Murf said nervously, not sure if he was about to be mugged by two very well dressed thugs.

Cho smiled slightly at the laid back way the man spoke, a real throwback to earlier days.

"Agent Kimball Cho, CBI, and this is Agent Wayne Rigsby. Mr. Jane told us we could find you here. We've been waiting for you."

"Did I break some anti-drone flying by-law?" asked Murf, impressed by the badges the two agents held out.

"No. We just need some information and hoped you could help us" said Rigsby, taking in the man's unflappable appearance, beach clothes and bare feet. Did this guy just fall out of the sky via Bondi Beach?

" What brings you here?" proceeded Cho.

"Oh just visiting while my mom gets settled into a care facility. Gotta honour thy mother and all that" said Murf, waving his hand around casually. "I come out at night to fly my drone. Don't want to piss off the taxpayers in the neighbourhood. Going home in a day or two so I won't be bothering anyone anymore" Murf said, worried he was about to get a ticket.

Rigsby produced a photo and held it out to Murf. "Have you ever met this man?"

It was Jane's CBI identity badge. Murf's face lit up and he grabbed the badge with delight.

"Sure, he's a cool dude! Had me over for a beer on his front steps. Totally into my drone and wanted to see the film I shot of the neighborhood. For an establishment type he sure is out there. Told me he works for the cops, but I couldn't believe it, you know?"

Murf pointed at the old house next door, indicating where he had met Jane.

"Did you seen anyone else around here by Mr. Jane's house, when he was at work or asleep?" asked Cho.

"Ahhh no, no one but the people who belong here, ya know, neighbours and the guys who work at the businesses across the street. See them all the time but they don't come over here. They leave me alone, so they're cool. And of course the kids who are helping Patrick with the house."

Cho and Rigsby both looked at each other. This was new information.

"What kids?" said Cho, keeping his voice even.

"Ah, the guy and the chick who were moving stuff into the house when Patrick was away at work the other day."

"When exactly was that?"

"Oh man, like I don't like to think in terms of days, know what I mean?" said Murf, his reality slightly different from Cho and Rigsby's.

"Try" said Cho firmly.

Murf saw Cho's hardened stare and changed his approach. This guy was seriously uptight.

"Well, Patrick had just left Monday morning and I was up early flying my drone before I had to go see my Mom. I figured the city people wouldn't notice me that early - don't want to rock the status quo man…'

"And?" asked Rigs.

"Yeah, so, this guy shows up with his girl, pretty scrawny chick if you ask me, and he pulls up with a beige van and gets out some stuff and takes it to the house."

"And this was after Mr. Jane left for work on Monday morning, correct?" Cho asked, needing assurance that the timing was right.

"Correct-a-mundo!" said Murf confidently.

"What kind of things did he take to the house, do you remember?" asked Rigsby.

"Dude, my cranium works just fine. The dude was carrying a wooden chair and a paper bag. The chick noticed me and started to freak."

"Why would she do that?"

"She saw me and I think I scared her with my drone buzzing around."

Cho was getting excited now. Finally they had proof the girl lied.

"Did you speak to her? How did she seem to you?"

"Yeah, she was pretty bummed by me being there. She was totally hostile. I'm into peace man, not scaring little chicks. I told them I was just leaving and wouldn't bother them anymore."

"Did you leave?"

"For sure. Like I know when my time is up right? So I cut short my flight and brought my drone back here to the lot. Then I just packed everything up and skated outta there."

"Did you see what the two people did at the house?"

"Like I said, I knew when I wasn't wanted, but I did see them before they went into the house. The guy worked at the door for a while, like maybe his key didn't fit right, but then he got the door open and called the hippie chick to get in the house and stop checking me out! Like I was even interested in that little chick!" Murf said with disdain.

"Can you give us a description of these people?" asked Rigsby with hope.

"Can do better my man. I got them on my drone-cam. I was filming the neighbourhood when they drove up and they got caught on my camera. I was going to delete it when I got back to work on Monday."

"Can you show us the film?"

"Dude, why man? Those kids were just rude, not the Mob" laughed the surfer.

"We believe your film has crucial evidence on it that we need to prove a man's innocence. Just let us see the film and we won't bother you for much longer" said Cho.

"Well, ok, but don't expect much my man. They're just two kids working for a few bucks helping Patrick out, that's what the girl told me."

"Did you see these two people at the house any other time, besides last Monday?" asked Rigsby while Murf played the film back on the monitor he had brought with him.

"Oh yeah. They were here a couple of times in the last two weeks. They were in the house for a while then left again. I figured they were cleaning up or something" said Murf, totally unaware he had now broken the case for the CBI.

The three men looked at footage of rooftops and streets, backyards and cityscapes, then the drone finally zeroed in on the top of Jane's house, his overgrown backyard and then, his front yard and driveway. They could see Murf talking to the girl and showed the dark haired young man walking up to the front of the house, turning around to yell at the girl. It was date stamped the previous Monday, 8:12 A.M.

"Can you freeze the picture on that young man's face?" asked Cho.

"No problemo super cop, my pleasure. I sure hope this isn't going to get my buddy Patrick in trouble, he's a righteous dude."

"No, not at all, in fact it will help him" said Rigsby, staring at the picture on the screen. It showed a freeze frame of Boyd, clear as a bell.

"We need to keep this video if you would release it to us" said Cho, his face indicating the correct answer would be 'yes'.

" Ah well, sure if it helps my buddy Patrick. What's up with him anyway? I haven't seen him all week and he was going to learn how to fly my drone before I went home" said Murf.

"Jane's been… ill" said Cho, not wanting to waste time explaining everything to Murf right now.

"Sorry to hear that man. Say hello from me and tell my buddy Patrick to get better soon. Hey, do I have to come in and sign something or what? Like, I try to just live my life and avoid entering police stations. One of my life rules."

"You can sign for it now, and we can contact you later about returning the film at a later date."

"Awesome my manly men, happy to help my buddy Patrick!" said Murf, handing over one of his business cards for his contact information.

"You've helped Mr. Jane immensely" smiled Cho.

"Is he in some kind of trouble?" Murf asked suspiciously.

"Yes, but you will help him get out of trouble with your testimony and this video" Rigsby said, reaching for the evidence Murf held out to him.

"Cool! Hey! I can bring some chill vegan smoothies and some organic fruit juice to your office if you men of steel are looking to start your day with something good from Mother Nature!" Murf offered, making an exception just this one time in his rule to avoid the cops.

"Ah, no thanks. We'll be in touch" said Rigsby, grinning from ear to ear.

"My pleasure suit guys! Say hi to Patrick from me my friends!"

Cho and Rigsby left, and Murf resumed skateboarding and flying his drone while Cho laughed to himself, surprised that such a guy still existed.

It was late, and Lisbon's phone rang just as she was dropping off into a restless sleep. Fearing a new case had come up, she reluctantly reached for her cell phone and rolled over in bed.

"Lisbon" she said without enthusiasm.

"Boss, it's Cho"

Sitting up quickly, Lisbon snapped to full wakefulness and waited for his report.

"Was he there?" she asked.

"Murf was there, just as Jane predicted. Boss, we've got proof that Boyd and Carol orchestrated the whole thing."

"What kind of proof, Cho, it has to get past Ardiles" Lisbon cautioned him.

"How about Carol and Boyd breaking into Jane's house Monday morning this week after Jane left for work? Will that convince Ardiles?"

"Is there proof when they broke in?" asked Lisbon, afraid to get her hopes up too high.

"The film is date and time stamped, and Murf is an eye witness. Boss, this is proof Jane was railroaded" said Cho with confidence.

"Thanks Cho! Good work. Bring that into the office then get some sleep. We'll meet with Carlson in the morning, gather the evidence and pay Ardiles a visit. Jane could be free by lunch time if we get it processed quickly enough!" Lisbon said with joy.

"Good night Boss" said Cho, then rang off. Some nights it was good to be a cop.

Lisbon sat on the edge of her bed too filled with excitement to sleep now. She went downstairs and made herself a coffee. If Ardiles cooperated, and the doctor discharged Jane, he could finally come home.

Jane! Oh no! He was playing sick so well, the doctor might not let him go! Lisbon thought this over then laughed at herself. She relaxed and realized that his play acting now was the least of her concerns. He could take a cool shower and stage a miraculous recovery! Hallelujah!


	20. Good News Bad News

I have already written the final chapter of this story! But you are still far from the end right now. I had such a great time writing and am so grateful for your comments and private messages. Thank you very much friends! Ok, more drama ahead!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 20

Good News Bad News

(Boyd's Place)

Boyd had calmed down after his frolic in the shower that morning. The rest of the day had been spent figuring out his next move to deal with Carol. He had yelled at her and she was upset. Time to make amends and bring her back into his good graces. After lunch he told his new girlfriend to take a hike. She groused and bitched and tried to stay, but he needed time to think and get ready for the return of that dumb blonde Carol. She would be so surprised when he welcomed her back!

Carol had been on the lookout for Big Mouth Annie all day. So far she had come up with nothing. No one was talking much, but she couldn't blame them, since keeping secrets protected all the street kids. She followed a busy family of 4 down the street, watching them like a hawk, waiting for her chance to strike and scoff some money. Sure enough, as the little group approached a frozen yogurt shop, filled with the most delicious looking toppings, all lined up at kid level in the window, the whining and begging began. Both kids wanted a yogurt with sprinkles, candy and whipping cream. The whining reached a fever pitch until their mother caved in. She opened her purse and handed each child some money. As they turned to run into the shop, Carol followed them, keeping her eye on the youngest child. She foolishly was tossing her coins up and down in her palm, while eyeing the multi-coloured candy display. Carol walked by quickly and bumped into the little girl, loudly excusing herself and helping the child up again as the father approached.

"Are you OK sweetie?" asked Carol, brushing the kid off.

"I'm OK" the little one said, looking around for her Mom. Carol hustled off and was out of the shop by the time the little girl realized her money was gone. Carol could hear the crying from the shop as she ran down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

Five minutes later Carol was sitting enjoying a coffee when her phone rang. Her heart leapt with anticipation when she saw it was Boyd on the other end of the line.

"Hello? Boyd?"

"Hello baby. Didya miss me?" he asked, as if he had never yelled at her.

Carol was unsure what was going on, but it looked like Boyd was over his anger and that was a very good thing. She smiled into the phone as he cooed at her like her fantasy lover.

"Boyd, where are you? Can you come and pick me up at Sammy's Coffee Shop? I don't want the cops to find me and take me back to Jim's house" she asked him cautiously.

"Sure chickadee. I had some business to attend to but now I'm free. Stay right where you are and I'll be there in 5 minutes."

Carol sat back and finished her coffee, looking out the front window of the shop, ready to hop into the beige van just as soon as Boyd drove up. Her day was certainly going better than she had hoped. First money and a coffee, now her lover, coming to rescue her off the big bad streets of Sacramento. 'Just like in a movie… ' she thought.

By the time her cup was empty, Boyd had arrived and Carol rushed into his old van. Before she had time to fasten her seatbelt, he hit the gas and took off down the side streets of the city.

"Thanks for coming Boyd" she said, eyeing him with some apprehension. She never quite knew what kind of a mood he would be in, sometimes from one minute to the next.

"Hey, no problem. Sorry I yelled at you like that" he said, looking suitably remorseful. "You just called at a really bad time, and I had to make some plans now that you ran away from your brother's house" he lied. "But it's all good now baby, right?" he said, flashing her a toothy grin.

"Yeah, everything's going to be great" she answered, knowing it would be, just as soon as that sleaze Patrick Jane went to prison forever.

"So now what do we do?" she asked Boyd, unsure of his new plans.

Boyd sat back in the driver's seat and looked at her. God, she would do anything he told her to do. What a pidgeon.

"Now we listen to the news and see what's happening to Jane and his case. You should stage a miraculous reappearance at the SAC police department, and tell that detective you're sorry you ran off like that" Boyd told her.

"Why? Why should I do that Boyd? I don't like them asking me all those questions. What if I get something wrong?" Carol whined.

Her tone was grating on Boyd's nerves, but he had to play along to get what he wanted.

"It's OK sweetie. I'll help you remember what to say. It's worked so far hasn't it?" he encouraged her.

"Yes."

"Jane went to jail like I told you, right?" he said.

"Yeah, he did" she agreed.

"I even heard through the grapevine that some asshole beat him up pretty good once he was put in jail. Pretty great eh?" Boyd laughed, genuinely this time.

"He did?" said Carol with surprise. "Who would do that?" she asked.

"Some dumb cop. He's under arrest now too, the dumb jerk" Boyd snickered.

Carol got a bad feeling in her gut. That would be something her dad would do. But no…. It couldn't have been him...

Boyd drove into a bad part of Sacramento and pulled up in front of a house that looked like it would fall down in the first big storm of the season. He hopped out of the van and walked to the front door, with Carol close behind him. He opened the door and headed straight for the kitchen and the fridge, grabbing a beer and then turned to face Carol.

"Why d'ya still have your clothes on baby?" he grinned wolfishly, eyeing her like a fresh piece of meat.

Carol hated to feel like she was just a thing, a toy, a receptacle for his physical needs, but… but...he was a man and men wanted what they wanted. She knew that to make Boyd happy for the rest of the night, she had better get undressed in the next few minutes. Boyd came over and started to paw at her, pulling her top down over her slim shoulders. Carol stepped back and took over, divesting herself of her top and jeans, underwear and socks. She turned to look for the bedroom, but Boyd stopped her.

"Uh uh baby…I'm ready to explode right now. The kitchen floor will do just fine" he said as he pushed her down on the filthy surface.

As he got busy releasing himself from his pants, Carol opened her eyes and looked up at the garbage strewn room and suddenly realized that he was no prince charming, and she was certainly no damsel being rescued. His grunting interrupted her thoughts as he shoved himself into her. She turned her head back to face him, watching his eyes flicker closed as his body jerked and humped, releasing his seed into her small body. Just once, she thought, just once, she wanted it to be like it was in the movies.

Boyd was quiet the rest of the evening, watching the TV, flicking from channel to channel, finally settling on a late night local news broadcast. None of the stories were remotely interesting until the last one before they signed off. The newsreader informed the listening audience that an unnamed employee of the local police force was still in the hospital recovering from injuries he had received while incarcerated. He had been charged with aggravated kidnapping and would be facing a judge soon. More news to follow after this word from our sponsor…

Boyd sat up and slapped his knee with glee. So the gossip was true! Damn that was poetic justice! Jane got what was owing to him and he hadn't even gone to prison yet! Boyd decided to keep an eye on this newscast tomorrow to see if anything new happened to the unfortunate Mr. Jane.

He stood up and yawned, grabbing Carol's hand and led her to the bedroom. She smiled and was happy to sleep in his arms tonight, in a bed instead of on a factory floor. How things changed quickly she thought with a grin.

(CBI Morning)

Lisbon was so excited she was up at sunrise and at work by 7:45. She made the first pot of coffee and sat with a steaming mug of her favourite brew on Jane's couch, waiting for her team to arrive. She ran her hand over the soft worn leather, Jane's scent deeply impregnated into the surface from years of reclining and thinking there. She could just make out his body's impression in the cushions. The last time he had sat on this couch was last Monday, just before all hell broke loose and he was taken away by those two SAD PD officers. That day seemed so long ago. Hopefully by the upcoming Monday he would be sitting here again, a free man with a clear record. Boyd and Carol would be in jail themselves if all went well for Jane. Just the thought of it made Lisbon grin, and that's what Cho and Van Pelt saw as they entered the bullpen, with Rigsby close behind them.

"I hear we have some very good news to hand to Ardiles" said Van Pelt with a smile.

"We do and the sooner we get all of our ducks in a row the sooner Carlson and I can head over there and plead our case" said Lisbon, beaming at her team.

"No pleading necessary Boss. We have proof, finally" said Cho, putting an end to any unnecessary worrying on Lisbon's part.

Lisbon smiled and got up, heading to her office when the sound of footsteps caught her attention. Looking up the hallway she saw Carlson rounding the corner, his file in his hands and a smile on his normally dour face.

"Got my phone message?" Lisbon asked.

"Yes I did. Thanks for the heads up." Carlson stopped in the bullpen and spread his arms out wide, facing the whole team.

"Mea Culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa" he said dramatically. "I was wrong, you were right. Jane is innocent. I haven't seen the film yet, but I believe you" he said with humility. Whatever happened now with his career, he was man enough to admit he had screwed up.

The team stared at him uncomfortably, not sure how to respond to this baring of his soul.

"We've got time before you have to leave for the courthouse. I can fire up the video and let you see what Cho and Rigsby got last night" said Van Pelt, happy to break the awkwardness of the situation and eager to see this evidence for herself. Everyone gathered around and watched with satisfaction as the video showed the beige van with Boyd and Carol pull up to Jane's house, clearly after Jane had just left for work on that ominous morning. The film played out and when it was finished, Carlson sat back and looked at Lisbon.

"What a sweet scam. Let's get Jane's charges dropped" he said, standing up and reaching for his file. Van Pelt had made a copy of the video and gave one to Lisbon. Carlson and Lisbon stopped by Bertram's office to tell him the good news. He was on the phone exchanging gossip and political backroom stories with someone important on the other end of the line. Lisbon waved the video in her hand towards him, indicating she needed to talk to him, now! Bertram waved her away and turned his back to her in his big swivel chair. Exhaling in exasperation, Lisbon gave up and figured she could tell him the latest news when she got back with Jane's charges dropped by Ardiles. That was one piece of paper she couldn't wait to drop on Bertram's desk. She and Carlson left the CBI and headed out for the courthouse, hoping to snag Ardiles before his day got completely bogged down. Lisbon got on her cellphone and placed a call to his office. There was no way she would leave the courthouse until she had had her meeting with the difficult Osvaldo Ardiles.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane awoke to the sounds of running footsteps in the hall and much hushed talk. His door opened and his breakfast tray was deposited quickly, then the attendant left just as urgently. Something was up. It took longer than usual for his nurse to come in and pay him a visit. When she finally did, she looked slightly rumpled and rushed.

"What's going on out there?" Jane asked, curiosity increased by boredom.

"Two transport trucks hit on the I-5 last night, taking out 3 more cars. Lots of injured. The first group are out of emergency and being brought up to rooms here and on the surgical floor. We're stretched to the maximum today" she said as she hurried out again.

Jane processed this information. He was taking up a valuable space. Those were real injured and sick people, but he was just play acting for the most part now. As his conscience began to bother him, his door swung open again and Dr. Simard bustled in. He looked like he had very little time to visit.

"Good morning" Jane began.

"Morning" said Simard. "How's the head today?" he asked, shining a light into Jane's eyes. They had stopped their jittering and swivelling around and he was no longer dizzy as a result.

"It's manageable" Jane told him truthfully, at last. Dr. Simard checked his lungs and temperature, then asked Jane to get up and walk. Jane knew the routine by now, so he got up and walked confidently across the room even though his ribs still ached, not attempting to make the journey look difficult.

"How's the stomach, settled down?" asked Simard.

"Right as rain" replied Jane, knowing he was as good as discharging himself into jail.

Dr. Simard reached down and removed the IV needle from the back of Jane's hand, made some notes then stood and stared at his patient, making a decision that needed to be made.

"Mr. Jane, you have made great progress, with just a setback or two, but you are coming along very well. I see no reason to keep you here when you can continue to recuperate elsewhere."

Jane just nodded in agreement. Hell, he could recover under a bridge for all it mattered now.

"I will have my nurse prepare your discharge papers. All you have to do is sign them and then you are free…." the doctor caught himself on that word, "to leave St. Marks."

"Thank you. I understand. How soon will I be going?" Jane asked distractedly, eyeing his room and its' creature comforts.

"I'd suggest you get up, freshen up and get dressed. It doesn't take long Mr. Jane" the good doctor informed him kindly. The doctor knew what he had to do now. He would contact the CBI and inform them that their suspect was on his way back to them. The CBI would send two guards to accompany the prisoner back to their holding cell and the patient would no longer be Dr. Simard's responsibility.

Jane nodded silently and watched the doctor turn to leave his room. Simard was a decent man, a good man. Jane was grateful for his care, unusual as that may have seemed to his close associates at the CBI.

"Thank you for everything Dr. Simard" Jane said quietly as Simard smiled and pulled open his door.

Sighing heavily, Jane got up and headed for his shower one last time. The next shower he took in custody would certainly not afford him any personal privacy, so he would enjoy this one for as long as he could.

(CBI)

The call came in from the hospital and was patched through to Bertram since Lisbon had already left for the courthouse with her wonderful new evidence. Bertram had not been interested in hearing about it, as he had been schmoozing with his political cronies. Dr. Simard informed Bertram that Jane was well enough to travel and be released. Bertram hung up the phone and let a wide grin creep across his face. Picking up the phone once again, he placed a call to the Warden of the State Prison in Harriston. Lisbon had not returned the forms for Jane's transfer to the prison, as he knew she wouldn't, so he had made a copy of the paperwork and had filled it out himself, faxing it back immediately several days ago. Lisbon should have known better, he laughed. He sat back and had a pleasant conversation with Warden Ben Kowalski and when he hung up, it was with the knowledge that three burly guards were on their way to the hospital to pick up Jane. Bertram would miss Jane's ability to close cases, but the decrease in paperwork and complaints against his consultant was compensation enough to remove the pain in his ass that was Patrick Jane.

(Courthouse)

Carlson and Lisbon ran down the hallway leading to the office of Osvaldo Ardiles. His secretary had not been very cooperative on the phone and insisted the man had no time to spare, but Lisbon would not take 'no' for an answer. Upon entering his office, Lisbon and Carlson faced the secretary and were told to sit and wait. Seeing that they had no other choice, they made themselves comfortable. A half hour later, the door opened and Ardiles appeared, hoping to avoid them and leave for a meeting.

"I can't talk Agent Lisbon! I have a planning session and I don't want to be the last one there!" Ardiles said as he reached for the door handle, an exasperated look on his face.

"Be late, it will be worth it" said Carlson, standing in his way blocking the door. Ardiles looked at Lisbon and she glared right back.

"We've got your proof Ardiles. We've got the ammunition we need to get all charges against Jane dropped. You need to sit down and see this!" Lisbon said, holding up her bag containing the files and video.

Turning back to Carlson, Ardiles looked at him in surprise.. "You're going along with this? You're the arresting officer!"

"Take a look at our evidence Ardiles. I can eat crow just like anybody else. Look at the evidence and then drop all the charges against Mr. Jane" he said with determination. "Or don't drop the charges. Then you can take this case to court, make an ass out of yourself, see the case thrown out and watch your career take a hit. Your choice."

Ardiles realized in frustration that neither Carlson nor Lisbon would back down so he rounded on his heel and headed back to his office. Lisbon flashed Carlson a smile of victory and followed him inside. Ardiles sank down into his chair and waited to hear, and see, just what was so damned special that it would exonerate Patrick Jane.

Fifteen minutes later, Carlson and Lisbon walked out of the courthouse with the paper in their hand that spelled freedom for Jane, all charges dropped. Lisbon thanked Carlson for his cooperation and hurried out to their car, hoping to see Jane soon with the good news. She would walk out of the hospital with him by her side again, free to rejoin his team.

Lisbon tried to call Jane on his cell phone to tell him the good news as Carlson drove back to the CBI, but the phone just rang and rang. 'Must be in the shower" she thought. Good news could always wait, so she would try again soon. When they arrived at the CBI parking lot, Lisbon said her goodbyes and ran to her own vehicle. Trying Jane once again, it still just rang and finally went to voicemail. Lisbon had a moment of concern, but what could go wrong? Maybe he was being examined by Dr. Simard, or was going for a walk with his guard? Who knew, with Jane anything was possible. She would let Carlson tell her team the good news about Jane, but she just wanted to get over to the hospital as soon as possible. Tea and pastries from Maries would be a welcome treat on their way back to the office. Just thinking about it made her smile.

(St. Marks Hospital)

Jane was standing gazing out of his window when his door burst open and three very large, very serious men in uniforms walked into the room. Before Jane could say a word, he was cornered and pushed up against a wall, while his hands were pulled behind his back. Jane didn't struggle or call out for Lisbon this time. The handcuffs snapped painfully on his wrists and he was turned around to face his captors. Jane was shocked to see they wore the uniform of the Federal Prison. Where was his friendly guard Frank?

"What's all this about? Why are you here?" Jane asked as he was being pulled forward toward the door. Frank stood outside in the corridor, ashen faced and shaken, surprised at the presence of these officers.

"You're on your way to Harriston to pay a visit to the Warden. Eyes forward!" said the biggest guard.

Jane looked over his shoulder and called out to Frank, needing his help now.

"Tell Lisbon what's happening! Tell her!" he shouted as he was marched rapidly down the hall past his former nurses and attendants. They shrank back at seeing this sad spectacle play out. What a shame, that Mr. Jane had seemed so nice…

Jane remained silent in the elevator, knowing now that any conversation would be met with stony silence. The group emerged from the service elevator into a parking garage usually used for service vehicles. A large prisoner transfer vehicle was sitting by the curb with the engine running. Jane was shoved up and into the back of the van and chained once again to the ring in the floor. The largest guard took up his position at the end of the van facing Jane, his hand resting on his weapon. This vehicle was heavily reinforced and presented absolutely no way of escape. Jane's heart was racing with anger and fear. Anger because this was all so wrong, so blatantly wrong and unfair. He was afraid too. If he could talk his way out of a beating in the next 48 hours, he would be a lucky man. Why hadn't Lisbon told him this was going to happen?


	21. Back In Chains

Thank you for your continued reviews and comments. They are great to read. Another long chapter because so much is happening now!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 21

Back in Chains

(CBI)

Carlson strolled back into the CBI feeling very pleased with the results of his morning. A man falsely accused was now going to be freed, and the two perps who did it would be found and punished. This was just the way he saw life, the way it should be. He would have to face his boss very soon, and his job might be in jeopardy, but now he could at least feel proud that he had helped to right a wrong that he had contributed to. Hightower was standing in the bullpen and Cho, Van Pelt and Rigsby were at their desks when Carlson arrived. Van Pelt was the first out of her desk, a look of worried expectation on her face.

"Well?" she asked.

Carlson was all smiles. "Ardiles folded! We showed him the film and the other evidence and he couldn't do anything but sign Jane's release papers."

"Excellent!" grinned Rigsby.

"Thanks man" said Cho, shaking Carlson's hand. "Much appreciated."

'Detective Carlson" said Hightower, a serious tone in her voice masking her enthusiasm about this reversal of a bad arrest. "A word please" she indicated, as she walked a short distance away from the other agents.

Carlson followed and met Hightower in the small kitchen. Rounding on the detective, Madeleine crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. This was the first time she had spoken to the man since this whole travesty bagan.

"I'll get right to the point Detective" she said evenly. "While I thank you for your efforts to set this disaster straight, I have to let you know that your reckless need to make an arrest on less than stellar investigative procedures almost got my consultant killed. What assurances can you give me that this won't happen again due to inter-agency pissing contests?" Her unwavering stare was enough to melt ice.

Carlson shifted on his feet, his happiness five minutes ago replaced by embarrassment. Hightower had every right to be furious with him, one professional to another.

"I screwed up. I admit it and no doubt my boss will be reminding me of it every day for the next year Ma'am" he said sincerely. "I didn't ask enough questions or interrogate the girl enough to find out the truth. I will be apologizing to Mr. Jane when I see him. This will be a lesson for everyone in my department back at SAC. I'm sorry" he finished, looking like a seven year old facing the principal. Madeleine had hoped to make him feel small, that was her goal, and she knew Jane could make mincemeat of the man once he came back from the hospital, so she decided to let him off the hook with a warning.

"Just remember this in the future Detective Carlson and we will get along just fine" she lectured him.

Carlson nodded and turned to go, but Hightower touched his arm to stop him. "I'll be asking Captain Burney to put a recommendation in your file for the great work you did to correct this mistake" she said with a small smile. Carlson smiled in return and shook her hand, relieved that his department and the CBI would be able to mend their differences and go forward, stronger than before.

Carlson wandered back into the bullpen and joined the other agents.

"Where's Lisbon?" asked Van Pelt, looking around the office for her boss.

"She's going over to the hospital to give Jane the good news. She couldn't get him on his phone, but he should be here soon" said Carlson, sinking down into a chair with relief.

"This calls for donuts!" said Rigsby, heading to the kitchen to grab the box he had brought in that morning.

All work stopped while the small group had a quiet celebration of their friend and partners' newly regained freedom.

(St. Marks Hospital)

The elevator bell dinged and Lisbon walked out with a new spring in her step. The staff was very busy and took no notice of her as she headed towards Jane's room. The first thing she noticed was that the guard was no longer at Jane's door. He should not leave his post. Lisbon would have to remind him of his duties and responsibilities. She knocked on the door and a woman called out to enter. Lisbon was not sure what to think as she slowly opened the door and saw a middle-aged woman reclining in the bed. Jane was gone. Making her excuses, Lisbon headed for the nurses' station.

"Mr. Jane is no longer in his room. Where did he go?"

A nurse stood up and gave Lisbon the news. "He went to prison Agent Lisbon! The prison transfer team took him out this morning and he's on his way to Harriston. He seemed so nice too" she added with embarrassment.

Lisbon was numb with disbelief. 'No no no no!' echoed through her mind as she started to run down the hallway. Jabbing the button for the elevator she was cursing under her breath. That damned Bertram! This was his doing! She should have known he had planned all along to send for the transfer team the second Jane was discharged from the hospital. She would have a screaming match with him later, but first she needed to stop that van! Once downstairs, Lisbon ignored the stares of staff and visitors as she jogged through the lobby towards the front door. As she ran for her car she placed a call to Cho. He needed to call the Warden and have the vehicle turn around and bring Jane back!

Cho was munching on his favorite donut and smirking at a tall tale Rigsby was telling when his phone rang.

"Hey Boss! How's Jane?" he started, but Lisbon cut him off.

"He's gone. Bertram called the Warden at the state prison and they picked Jane up before I could stop them!"

Cho sat bolt upright, stunned at this news, waiting for his boss to continue. "Call the Warden, explain to him that all charges have been dropped and that Jane needs to be brought back here" she continued.

"Ok, done. Where are you heading?" he asked.

"I'm going to follow the van and see if I can intercept it on the way to the prison."

"Good luck" said Cho and rang off. He stood up and went to his desk and switched on his computer to find the number he needed. Van Pelt and Rigs knew something was up so they stood by his desk to find out the latest. Cho focussed on his task and ignored the stares of his teammates and Carlson. After going through an interminable computer generated greeting, he had to jump through the digital hoops of the prison phone system. A good 5 minutes later he finally was put through to the office of the Warden. The phone rang and Cho was finally speaking to the man himself.

"Warden Kowalski, how can I help you?"

"Warden, this is Agent Kimball Cho with the CBI. A mistake has been made and Patrick Jane has been removed from St. Marks Hospital and taken by your prisoner transfer team. He was found innocent of all charges this morning and should have been set free, not taken by your men. We need you to call the driver of the van and have him turn around and bring our man back."

Kowalski leaned forward on his elbows and laughed into the phone.

"Agent Cho, is it? Now, why would I believe you? I got a call from Director Bertram himself this morning who told me that Patrick Jane was well enough to be brought to my prison, and that is exactly what I am presently doing" said the Warden with satisfaction.

Cho bit back a harsh response, but wouldn't let this travesty go unchallenged.

"Director Bertram acted hastily, before he allowed himself to be fully informed of the latest directive from the prosecutor, Osvaldo Ardiles. Ardiles signed the papers himself to set Mr. Jane free, all charges dropped. Now if you do not release our man, we will be charging you, and your guards, with kidnapping and forcible confinement. He is being held against his will by you Warden Kowalski. Do you really want the legal mess that is about to hit you?" Cho was bluffing about the kidnapping charge, but he hoped it would frighten the Warden into action.

Kowalski couldn't believe the balls on this guy! Threatening him with kidnapping and forcible confinement charges? Who the hell did he think he was?

"Put me through to Bertram, now!" he yelled at Cho.

"I can do that, just hold…" said Cho. He stood up and stalked out of the bullpen, the other agents trailing behind like ducklings.

Cho knocked on Bertram's door and opened it before Bertram had a chance to answer.

"What is it Cho, I'm busy!" said Bertram with annoyance at Cho's rude interruption.

"Take a look at this, then take the call on line 2" said Cho cryptically, placing a paper on the Director's desk.

"What the hell?" said Bertram, angry but curious now. He gazed down at the paper signed by Ardiles that stated that all charges against one Patrick Jane had been dropped. Jane was a free man. Or should have been if he, Bertram, had just listened to Lisbon earlier today. Cho glared at him and waited.

Bertram blushed a self-conscious red and looked at Cho. Not giving the man a chance to spew some crap to explain himself, Cho just pointed at the phone.

"Line 2."

Bertram picked up the phone and ventured a greeting, not liking Cho's insolence one bit.

"Director Bertram"

"Director, what is all this bullshit your Agent just told me about Patrick Jane being exonerated? Is he or is he not under arrest for aggravated kidnapping? Because if you got me pulled into some shit storm of your making Gale, so help me.." he ranted.

"Warden Kowalski, Ben, slow down!" Bertram cooed into the phone, tap dancing around the issue as fast as his black soul would allow him. "There has been a terrible mistake made, my Agent was correct. Now no one is to blame, but these things happen."

"Do you have the court order Gale?"

"Right in my hand Warden. I suggest you radio your van driver and have him pull over. I'll make sure one of my people meets your driver on the highway and then Mr. Jane can be handed over with a minimum of fuss."

"If this goes badly Bertram it's on your head" fumed the Warden, not liking to look like a fool.

"What could go wrong? We'll have Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon come out and meet the van herself, how would that be?" he soothed the angry man.

A moment later Kowalski caved in and agreed to these outrageous circumstances. He agreed to call the van driver and would explain what to expect. Kowalski didn't want the driver to shoot Agent Lisbon under the mistaken belief she was busting a prisoner out of the van illegally.

"Thanks so much Ben, nice talking to you. Say hello to the wife" said Bertram as he hung up. Cho grabbed the paper and started to walk out of Bertram's office.

'Agent Cho!" Bertram called out. Cho turned and stared at him with a venomous expression.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This was a terrible and unfortunate incident that I am sure we all are happy has been corrected. Dismissed."

If Cho's look could have caused physical harm, Bertram would have been a smoking pile of ash before the agent slammed the door shut on his way out.

Lisbon was racing just over the speed limit on the highway going out of town when Cho's call came. He quickly explained what had transpired and that she should expect the guards to cooperate with her once she located the prison van. She drove on, sure that she would soon see the distinctive vehicle up ahead.

(Prison Transfer Vehicle)

Jane sat on the hard metal bench seat and swayed with the movement of the van. His guard looked as bored and unhappy to be trapped in this small space as Jane was. A second guard sat up front, next to the driver, a shotgun in his hand. He kept a close eye on his prisoner in a large mirror that showed Jane behind the mesh grill at all times. The van was hot, with no windows to open and admit a breeze. Within ten minutes, Jane was dripping with sweat, his clothes sticking to his body. He had dressed in a 3 piece suit that Lisbon had brought to the hospital, not thinking that he would need the grey prisoner jump suit again, at least not for a while. Patrick gazed down at his hands, held tightly together by the steel cuffs. He shook his head despondently, knowing his treatment upon arriving at the prison would be cold and calculating, his institutionalization beginning within the first minute. He would cease to be a person, and would instead become a numbered commodity. He didn't want to think about the physical examination he would have to undergo, all pride and privacy violated by strangers' eyes. He would be told to strip, shower with horrid soap that would leave him itchy all over, then spread'em, and open his mouth, to show he had no drugs or weapons on or in his person. As if he had hidden something while still a patient! Fingerprinting and photos would be taken, then a number would be assigned, his number until his trial. Having heard nothing from Lisbon that morning about the stakeout the previous night, he had to assume Cho and Rigsby didn't meet Murf, and the evidence they so desperately hoped to find had not been discovered. So, it was prison now. Ardiles had not dropped his charges. The coming weeks and months were going to be hard to endure, but he had to do the best he could. He couldn't let Lisbon see him feeling betrayed, or worse yet, defeated. But here he was again, a prisoner in every sense of the word. He could think of several men he had caught and sent to prison in just the last year alone. Would they be at Harriston State Prison? The chances were good that many of them would be and he would be on their turf now without anyone to protect him. He would have to stay in his cell as much as possible to keep trouble to a minimum. Jane's mind was spinning with the possible scenarios of life in prison even before he was sent to trial. If he was found guilty, well then, he was entering into a whole new world of danger. As he was mulling all of these depressing thoughts over in his mind, a change in the speed of the prison van caught Jane's attention. He craned his neck to see what was going on.

The driver of the van slowed down and took a cell phone call. So much for following the rules of the road Jane smirked. The driver seemed very agitated and stole a glance at Jane while he argued loudly into the phone. Whatever was being discussed, Jane felt it was another bad thing coming his way. The phone call ended and both guards looked at him in the mirror, a hurried discussion going on between them with much hand waving and angry words. 'God, what now' Jane worried. The van seemed to slow down some more, and Jane gradually became afraid of what would happen if the van stopped altogether, miles from the prison. His feeling of vulnerability just went up a notch.

Lisbon drove like she was going to a fire, determined to pass every car in her way. A half hour later she spied the large vehicle pulled up on the side of the road at a comfort station. She felt the perspiration on her palms as she pulled in alongside the large van, the guards sitting like statues inside the vehicle. As she stepped out her SUV, the driver glared at her and held his weapon a bit tighter. This whole event seemed like an attempt to break the prisoner free. He saw stuff like that in the movies all the time.

Jane had felt the transfer van drive off the road and stop. He couldn't see what was going on outside but his guard's rigid body language told him something unplanned was happening. That ramped up the adrenaline in the tight space and Jane just hoped it would not end in him getting shot in all the confusion. A knock came on the back door and his guard visibly tensed up, lifting his gun closer to his chest. Then the door opened. The driver stood at the open door and spoke to the guard standing fearfully in the dark interior. Both men then turned and looked at Jane, shaking their heads in disbelief. Finally his guard approached Jane and bent down to unlock the chain joining his handcuffs to the ring in the floor. He grunted at Jane and indicated he should leave the van. With sweat now pouring off his face and down the hollow of his back, Jane approached the doorway and stared out into the blinding sun, not able to see in the brightness. Was he going to be shot here in some dismal hidden location, his body found weeks from now with a bullet hole through his head? With a final shove from behind, Jane almost fell out of the van and steadied himself upon stepping onto the dusty ground. He looked over his shoulder and saw his guard still holding his weapon. The van driver stepped away and made way for someone else now. Every nerve in his body was tingling as Jane prepared to plead for his life. As the footsteps got closer, Jane thought he was having an hallucination when he saw Lisbon's smiling face beaming at him. No, it must have been the heat, he was really seeing a vision. Raising his cuffed hands to his eyes to wipe the sweat out of them, he saw the Lisbon-vision suddenly frown and bark out an order.

"Take those handcuffs off Mr. Jane immediately! He is free to go and not your prisoner" said a familiar voice. The guard closest to Jane stepped forward and uncuffed him, taking back the steel restraints and pocketing them. What was going on?

"Lisbon? What are you doing here?" Jane asked, too overwhelmed to say anything else.

'I'm taking you to Marie's for tea and blueberry muffins Jane. Unless you prefer to stay here with these gentlemen" she smiled, holding out her hand for him to join her. Shaking his head in confusion, Jane smiled broadly and stepped forward, taking her hand, half expecting to be thrown to the ground at any moment by the nearest guard. No one stopped them as they walked quickly towards the CBI SUV. Jane hopped into the passenger seat and buckled up while Lisbon had a few last words with the men from the prison. A minute later she was behind the wheel and pulling out onto the highway. Jane turned and waved a bright goodbye to the three prison guards as they watched their prisoner disappear down the road in the opposite direction.

Jane sat facing Lisbon as she drove towards the city, a large smile of accomplishment on her face.

"So tell me, what the hell just happened?" said Jane, completely confused but happy to be shackle free.

"Bertram filled out your prison transfer paperwork knowing I wouldn't. Then as soon as your doctor discharged you, Bertram called the Warden and his men came to pick you up."

"But my arrest… " began Jane, still not realizing he was now a free man.

"We found Murf, and he has proof that you were framed. Ardiles agreed to drop all charges against you this morning. I tried to call you but you didn't pick up" explained Lisbon.

"Oh. Yes. The guards wouldn't let me take your call. If I had, they would never have taken me" he said with chagrin. Timing is everything, as they say.

"I tried to tell Bertram all the charges had been dropped but he wouldn't listen. He's the reason you were on your way to the Federal prison Jane" she continued.

"Huh… Bertram. Well I'm sure he will come to regret that decision" said Jane cryptically. Lisbon didn't say anything but was content just this one time to let Jane find some way to torture Bertram due to his betrayal. Just how and when it happened would be a delicious surprise.

"So I'm a free man?" Jane asked again, just to clarify.

"Yup."

"Well that's lucky" he grinned at her.

Jane looked out his window and basked in the sun, the air conditioning cooling him down as each mile passed. Cho and Rigsby had found Murf! That was wonderful news. So much had happened in the last 12 hours. Jane felt out of the loop but he would correct that situation once he got back to the office. But first, a real breakfast at Marie's with Lisbon! A shower would follow in the gym then a fresh set of clothes before he was ready to face the world again. His freedom certainly changed his plans in a big way, but he needed to use his freedom to snare Boyd and Carol. He got busy thinking about how best to lure them out of hiding, exposing themselves to arrest by Lisbon and her team.

Twenty minutes later Lisbon pulled into the parking lot of Jane's favourite shop, the scent of fresh baking lifting their spirits even higher as they strolled towards the quaint little shop. Work and stress took a back seat to sugar and carbs, caffeine and sticky fingers. It was a great day to be free again!


	22. Handle With Care

The story is not over folks, so hang in there!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 22

Handle With Care

Boyd was up early making breakfast when Carol stumbled into the filthy kitchen. She rubbed sleep out of her eyes and sat down at the messy kitchen table watching Boyd make toast and coffee. She had had a good sleep, but she was sure she had detected the scent of another woman on her pillow. The perfume was cheap and strong, but definitely a female fragrance. She watched Boyd and knew he had betrayed her. Probably not for the first time. She would have to make sure it was the last time. She wanted to be the only woman in his life from now on, and to be that she would do whatever he wanted, be whatever he wanted her to be. She could do that. For him… for herself.

Boyd brought a mug of coffee over to the table for himself, ignoring her sitting there. She got up and fetched her own drink and toast, not daring to grumble at him so early in the day. She had a roof over her head again so best not screw that up.

"What's the plan Boyd?" she dared to ask. She knew he wanted her to go back to Jim's house and play nice with her big brother. She hated the idea, but if that's what it took until Jane's trial, she would have to swallow her resentment and maybe do it.

Boyd looked up as if to notice her for the first time. He took his time chewing his toast and took a long drink of his coffee.

"The plan is we get outta this shit hole. I pay too much rent to share this house with that dumb idiot upstairs" he said, referring the man he sublet from.

"OK, where would we go next Boyd?"

"Now we go back to our original plan babe. You go running back to Jimmy boy, all apologetic, beg for forgiveness and stay there until the trial. We'll go over your story so you get it straight. You might be interviewed some more by that Detective, so you have to know what to tell him. Make him believe you. Play it big baby!" he said seriously, staring at her in a way that would allow no discussion.

Carol nodded her head in agreement with his plan, much as she hated it. Jane would have his day in court soon, that's what Boyd had told her, so she didn't have to stay with Jim for much longer. Then when Jane went to jail, she and Boyd could run as far away as they wanted from all the schmucks in Sacramento. This fantasy she had created of her future life with Boyd was so real, so within reach in her mind that she would do whatever he told her to do to make it all come true.

"OK Boyd, I can do that. Can we go over my story again later today? " she asked, looking for approval.

"Sure thing sweetie. Whenever you're ready" he smiled, hoping she would leave his house as soon as possible. His other woman was waiting in the wings even as they talked.

(Marie's Pastry Shop)

Lisbon and Jane were finishing up their rich breakfast when she got back to business.

"How are you feeling, really?" she asked, taking in his colourful bruises and careful posture.

Jane swallowed some tea and sat back, feeling his sore ribs crunch beneath his suiting. Lisbon deserved to be told the truth, after all she had done for him this week.

"I'm better, really. But a bit creaky. My ribs hurt and my head's still pounding, but it's all manageable with some over the counter pain medication. Which we need to pick up soon please" he smiled. That meant he was feeling lousy, but on the mend. Lisbon watched Jane closely and noticed how he carried himself carefully, his bones and ribs in particular must have been aching while he tried his best to look nonchalant in their booth. As he picked up his teacup his sleeve rode up over his wrist and revealed torn skin and bruising on the skin encircling his wrist from the handcuffs and the rough ride in the prison van. Lisbon couldn't help herself, and reached out to pull up his other sleeve, revealing similar damage to his skin. Jane looked uncomfortable with the clear signs of his recent incarceration.

'"We need to take care of that Jane" Lisbon said softly, indicating the wounds. "I've got a first aid kit in my office. Let me put some bandages on those open cuts" she suggested, hoping he wouldn't brush her off out of misplaced male pride. Jane pulled his sleeve down and looked away. Yes, he felt wounded, in more ways than one. When he faced Lisbon again, she still waited for an answer.

"You don't want to bleed all over a fresh shirt Jane" she nudged him.

Jane looked down and saw what she could see, stripes of blood staining the inside cuffs of his white and blue linen shirt. Pursing his lips, he saw the benefit of some mothering. If he needed to be coddled, who better than Lisbon to fuss over him?

"Ok. But don't wrap me up like a Mummy" he acquiesced quietly.

"Deal!" she smiled, happy for a tiny victory.

Jane smiled in return and finished off his tea, stifling a yawn. He suddenly felt tired after the stress of his morning after so many days of quiet in the hospital. He was crashing after the adrenaline rush. Lisbon noticed. It was time to go.

"Let's get you that pain medication and then go say 'hello' to the team. They're looking forward to seeing you again" she admitted.

"Can't wait to say 'hi' to Bertram actually" grinned Jane, a plan starting to form in his mind.

"Hold off on that will you? Let's just get this whole mess finished with, then if you want to make Bertram uncomfortable for a while, you have my blessing" she suggested.

"Why Lisbon, have you crossed over to the dark side?" Jane smirked as they stood up to leave.

"Yes! And it's all your fault Jane!" she laughed.

"About time" he muttered, opening the door for her.

The trip back to the city was very pleasant and carefree. Jane stopped at a pharmacy for his pain meds and salve for his wrists, then they sped straight ahead for the CBI.

Rigsby, Cho and Van Pelt were all in the kitchen when Lisbon came around the corner with their consultant in her wake. Jane was engulfed in back slaps and gentle hugs, with the exception of Cho, who offered his hand and a small smile of welcome. Jane felt a warm rush of affection for his office family, knowing they had stopped at nothing to find a way to set him free. He owed them so much. He would find an appropriate way to thank each one of them in a special way. Bertram? Yes, he would be remembered in a special way too. Carlson stepped forward and faced Jane. There was an awkward moment of silence as each man sized up the other. Carlson broke the stalemate by offering his hand and a heartfelt apology.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jane. I rushed to judgement without looking at the evidence with enough skepticism. You may not believe me, but I am sorry, and I apologize for everything that has happened to you."

Jane studied Carlson's face and saw only sincerity there. He could make his life truly miserable in innumerable ways, but he could see that Carlson had learned a lesson from this disastrous affair. Jane's torture would accomplish nothing more than personal gratification. So he let Carlson off the hook. A moment later, he took Carlson's hand and shook it in acceptance.

"I guess we all learned something this week" he answered. "Lisbon told me how you worked with her team to help get my charges dropped. Thank you."

There was a sudden change in the mood in the small kitchen. The tension between the two men dissolved and was once again replaced with the happiness of Jane's freedom. Carlson stepped back and watched the dynamic between Lisbon and her team, and especially between them and Jane. He had to admit it was an unusual situation, but seeing it up close, he knew he much to do to bring about a similar close relationship within his own department back at the SAC PD.

After catching up and downing a cup of tea in his blue cup, Jane excused himself to get showered and changed. Then he could rejoin the team as an equal member and find a way to bring down Boyd and Carol.

(Anita Johansson's Apartment)

Anita Johansson was sitting down enjoying a cup of coffee when her doorbell rang. Her busy next door neighbour Mary was standing there with a box full of books in her hands.

"Anita dear, I finally finished reading all of these books that you lent me. Thanks so much for letting me borrow them."

Anita took the box from her neighbour and set them down. As she invited her friend in for coffee, Mary took something out of her pocket.

"Oh by the way, this fell out of the book I just finished. I used it for a bookmark. Do you still need it?" she asked. Anita looked at the paper the woman was holding out. It was a beautiful piece of paper folded up into a bookmark, with writing on one side of it. Opening it out, Anita read the words on the pink paper. It was the name of her daughter's new boyfriend in her own handwriting. It said 'Boyd McLean.'

(CBI)

Forty minutes after he went downstairs to get freshened up, Jane sauntered upstairs to rejoin his friends. Lisbon was waiting for him at her doorway. When Jane strolled through the bullpen, she waved him over. Like a kid getting a bandage on his knee after falling off a bike, Jane resigned himself to her ministrations. Lisbon sat Jane down at her desk and leaned over to grab his right hand, pulling it forward. Jane was silent, keen to see this maternal side of the professional Agent Lisbon. She worked methodically, smoothing salve on his broken skin. Then she carefully wrapped gauze around his wrist to provide protection against further irritation.

"You're good at this" he said with genuine admiration.

"I raised three half-feral brothers! I spent a lot of time patching up their skinned knees and elbows. Saved a lot of money on trips to doctor" she remarked, never taking her eyes off her work on Jane's injuries.

"Should I be calling you Florence?" Jane teased. At Lisbon's confused expression, he smiled and let it dawn on her. Ah yes….he could see the moment it made sense.

"I'm no Florence Nightingale Jane!" she said with a blush rising in her freckled cheeks.

Jane took her hand for a moment to make her look at him.

"You are to me" he said gently.

Lisbon smiled deeply and felt her heart give an uncharacteristic little flutter. How that man did that to her at the most unexpected moments was still a mystery to her. But she felt a warm glow under his watchful gaze. She finished wrapping up his other wrist and set him free. Jane admired her handiwork and thanked her. He stood up, stretching slightly and gazed out into the bullpen. The shower had invigorated him somewhat and he decided to delay his nap for just a while. Teresa's phone rang so he took the opportunity to wander out into the office. He was going to go and sit on his sofa, but at the last moment, he changed direction and headed down the hallway to the Director's office. He just couldn't help himself.

Bertram was sitting at his desk, fiddling with some paperclips and daydreaming when Jane burst through his door without knocking. Bertram immediately dropped the paperclips and grabbed a pen instead, appearing to be disturbed in the middle of something important.

"Gale! I hope I haven't interrupted anything important?" Jane grinned, his smile dazzling in its' insincerity.

"Yes, actually I was just in the middle of" he began before Jane cut him off.

"Oh you can play with those things later" Jane said, pointing at the paperclips.

"I thought I'd drop by and say hello. I knew you would be worried about my welfare, and I just wanted to let you know that I returned safely, with minimal damage" smiled Jane, showing his bandaged wrists. Bertram looked sheepish. Jane continued talking, picking up one of Bertram's paperclips. "Thanks for the trip out of town this morning by the way. It was an experience Gale. You should try it sometime."

Bertram shifted uneasily in his chair, realizing Jane knew he was the guilty party who had arranged his premature departure for the state prison.

"Yes, well, that was unfortunate Jane. I'm glad my call to the Warden corrected that oversight" he bluffed, obfuscation his greatest tool. Jane stood staring at him after that lame excuse for a moment longer than necessary, long enough for Bertram to feel uncomfortable in his glare.

"Is there anything else you want Jane?" he asked, wanting to be alone again.

Jane picked up the paperclip, and played with it while shaking his head. "No. Not really. That's all I needed." Instead of leaving, Jane sat on the edge of Bertram's desk, twisting and turning the paperclip in the light, examining it as if he had never seen one before. "Beautiful things paperclips, don't you think Gale? … so curvy and sensual, so full and round. They slip and slide over smooth papers and feel so good in your hands… so smooth and curvy…" he cooed in a very soft and mesmerizing voice. Bertram stared at Jane in confusion. What was this all about? But as Jane talked he moved the paperclip up and down, slowly undulating it in the sunlight streaming in through the side window in Bertram's office. "See how the light bounces off the curves, so sensuous and curvy, so light in your hand but so wonderful to hold. Do you want to hold this paperclip?" he asked Bertram, still turning it this way and that, captivating the man with his voice and sleight of hand. Jane took a moment to look at Bertram and saw him transfixed, in a hypnotic trance totally enthralled by the paperclip. Now Jane stepped up to Bertram and unleashed a bit of foolish revenge for his treacherous actions earlier today. The real revenge would come later.

"You see this paperclip Gale? Yes, it's very nice….very nice. You want it so badly. But whenever you touch one you burn your fingers! Not only that but you don't want anyone else to burn their fingers either. We must stop people from burning their fingers on these hot and dangerous paperclips. You can help to stop that from happening. You will be the paperclip police, keeping everyone safe from this office menace. Do your best Gale and people will thank you." Jane dropped the paperclip and snapped his finger. Bertram roused himself and stared at Jane.

"So nice to see you again Gale" Jane quipped as he suddenly stood up and sailed out of his boss's office as quickly as he had entered. Bertram watched him go with the uneasy feeling that something had occurred between them that he didn't quite understand. But when did Jane ever make sense, he reasoned to himself. Picking up his paperclip again, he started to resumed his fiddling and daydreaming, but dropped the item when his fingers started to burn like he had touched them to a flame. He shoved it away from himself in disgust and turned to start earning his big salary just like the tax payers expected.

Jane sauntered into Lisbon's office and flopped down on her sofa, hugging a pillow and watching her as she sat behind her desk. A smile grew on her face as she felt his eyes on her. Damn that man got under her skin! Just as she was about to speak to him, her phone rang again. Call display showed 'Anita Johansson' on the line. Lisbon grabbed the phone with curiosity.

"Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon" she identified herself. "How can I help you Miss Johansson?"

Jane sat up and paid attention. Lisbon grabbed a pen and paper and wrote something down, then thanked the woman on the phone profusely. When she put her phone down, her smile lit up the room even brighter than before.

"We've got him Jane! We know who Boyd is!" Jane stepped around the desk and read the name on the paper. It rang a bell, but they would need to checkthe computer to see how this name related to Jane.

"Let's go" she said, taking the slip of paper with her as she and Jane went into the bullpen to find Van Pelt.

"Grace, I need you to look up any cases where the name McLean comes up. Boyd is Boyd McLean, so we are looking for a brother, a father, an uncle, someone in the family, male or female for whom he could want payback against Jane."

"Sure thing Boss!" said Van Pelt, thrilled to have a new lead to break open this mystery. Fifteen minutes later she had compiled a list of names for their perusal. After some discussion, one name rose to the top of the list.

Asher McLean.


	23. Sins of the Father

I am going on vacation in three weeks and want this story wrapped up before I leave. Thank you faithful reviewers for your comments. Thank you to the guest reviewer too. I can't answer your comments since you are a guest, but I do appreciate your enthusiasm! Ok, here's another chapter.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 23

Sins of the Father

A quick internet search revealed that Asher McLean had a son named Boyd! They had found the right man.

Van Pelt read out the case highlights and the mystery of the vendetta was hinted at. Asher McLean had been the director of a summer camp named Bright Arch, for delinquent and difficult teenagers. Asher was an accomplished outdoorsman, hunter, fisherman, teacher. The teens spent months living in cabins in the remote woods, learning discipline, improving their attitudes towards authority figures, and learning survival and camping skills under Asher's expert tutelage. A boy had been found dead at the Bright Arch camp and the CBI had been called in to investigate the death. While searching for the boys' killer, Jane had figured out that Asher McLean was committing statutory rape against one or more of the unfortunate young girls confined to the camp. The murderer had been found, but Asher McLean was also arrested for his sex crimes. Upon checking his prison file, Van Pelt read out that he had been attacked in prison four months into his sentence and he died of his injuries.

"So Boyd is after Jane because his father died in prison?" said Rigsby.

"I think he is after me because I put him in prison in the first place, and what happened afterward is also somehow my fault" said Jane, seeing the logic in Boyd's thinking. "It makes perfect sense. His father went to prison for a sex crime, so why not accuse me of kidnapping a young woman and abusing her? Almost the same thing."

"Grace, can you find out if Boyd has any other family still in the Sacramento area? A mother, another sibling? We need to make contact and find out where he lives now" suggested Lisbon.

Grace once again searched her database and the internet, this time taking longer. A while later she had her information.

"Asher and his wife Mary divorced when his crimes came to light. His wife died a year ago in a car accident, and there are no siblings. There is no record of Boyd living in Sacramento as far as we can tell. His name doesn't show up on any apartment lease paperwork or home purchases. Sorry boss, we don't know where Boyd might be living."

Jane stood up and looked out over the city of Sacramento through one of the many windows lining the wall of the bullpen. "Finding Boyd will be like looking for a pin in a pile of pins." He turned around and had a thought simmering in the back of his mind.

"But what does Carol have to do with any of this?" said Lisbon, not seeing a connection between Carol and Boyd.

There was a moment of silence as the group mulled this conundrum over. Cho spoke up first.

"Carol is the daughter of Steve Hannigan. Hannigan worked here until he screwed up so badly no one wanted him anymore. He left just before he was fired, ending up at the SAC PD as a last resort to save his career. That didn't go well either" he said, looking at Jane's bruised face.

"Do you think Carol blames Jane for her father's failed career?" asked Grace.

"That's a bit of a stretch don't you think?" said Rigsby.

"We won't know until we talk to her. Maybe she blames her parents' failed marriage on Jane simply because Steve couldn't keep a job after we hired Jane" said Lisbon, eyeing Jane with an apologetic look.

"Well aren't I just the fox in the henhouse!" said Jane, seeing how both scenarios could be true.

"Sacramento is a big place, how on earth did two people with a grudge against you find each other?" asked Cho.

Jane shrugged his shoulders. Good question. Van Pelt hazarded a guess.

"It only took one person to make this happen."

All eyes in the room turned to Grace. "I mean, think about it. Carol is a cop's daughter. She was angry and upset about her dad and the way his life turned out. If she held a grudge against Jane, she probably told a bunch of people about it over the years. She is young and immature, I can see her doing that over a few beers. Then one night she's drinking in a bar and she meets up with Boyd, tells him her sad tale about the man who caused her Daddy to lose his job, his wife and his family. Boyd already hated Jane for sending his dad to prison."

"Et voila!" said Jane, seeing the possible connection two strangers discovered they had. "The girl Boyd needed to snag me just walked into the bar."

"So now what? We haven't had any luck finding Carol. She must be hiding out with Boyd. What are they waiting for?" asked Rigsby.

"They're waiting for my trial, to see me go to jail" said Jane, seeing that as making the most sense.

"For that to happen, Carol has to come forward and reveal herself again" said Cho, knowing the case would fall without their key accuser showing up. Jane sat down on his sofa, his long index finger tapping furiously against his bottom lip. There was a pause in the discussion as everyone digested what they had just figured out. They were so close to solving the mystery now. Jane looked over at Lisbon and a thought came to him. Yes… that would do nicely.

"Lisbon. We need to contact the media. Tell them a story about me" he said with conviction.

"But we've gone out of our way to keep your story out of the press, to protect you and the reputation of the CBI. Your name was never revealed in the news" said Lisbon, not wanting the press to destroy Jane now so late in the case.

"And we will not give them my name. There is no need. The only people who need to hear the report are Carol and Boyd. We will leak a false report about the case to the local TV and radio stations. Tell them that the unnamed CBI employee accused of kidnapping and abusing an innocent young woman has been released on bail until his trial."

"Why would we do that?" asked Cho. Van Pelt and Rigsby also looked perplexed.

"We need to lure Boyd and Carol out of hiding. We need to make them want to find me. And when they do, we arrest them" said Jane, seeing it all play out in his mind.

"Why do that? That just puts you in danger" said Lisbon, fearing for him all over again.

Jane stood up and paced, running his hands through his thick curls. He knew it was the only way to deal with these two sociopaths.

"Boyd is so consumed with hatred for me he won't be able to stand the idea that I am walking around free, quite possibly for months, while he has to hide, and Carol has to play the victim role, which she is lousy at. The risk is too great for them that one or both of them will be exposed before my so-called trial. No, we have to force their hand, and make them do something stupid" Jane said enthusiastically.

"Like try to kill you" said Van Pelt with revulsion.

"Possibly, but let's not dwell on the negative Grace" he said with a smile. "Whaddya say Lisbon? Shall we give these two idiots a shove and see what they do next?"

'I don't like it Jane" she replied, even though she could see his logic somehow.

"You don't have to like it. I don't like it either, but if it gets Boyd and Carol behind bars I think we need to give it a shot" he admitted.

Cho was lost in his thoughts, chewing the idea over in his mind, and eventually he realized that Jane was right. They could search for Boyd for months without finding him if he took off for the hills and went into survivalist mode. Carol would eventually screw up and be exposed. But Boyd needed to be found.

"Jane's right. We need to force their hand."

"Thanks Cho" said Jane, searching the other faces to see if they had come to the same conclusion. Rigsby and Van Pelt turned to face their boss. If Lisbon agreed with Jane, they would agree too.

Lisbon knew that the combination of Cho and Jane would be too formidable to challenge, and besides, Jane was right in his own crazy way.

"Ok, I'm in" she said, looking like the exact opposite was true.

"Count on me" said Rigs, with Grace nodding in the affirmative too.

"Excellent! We need to get our little newscast ready and send it to the stations as soon as possible. Let's see which feathers we ruffle first" said Jane with excitement.

"And what about you?" asked Lisbon.

"Me?"

"How are you going to protect yourself if Boyd comes after you?" she asked sensibly.

"Ah… you're the people with the big guns and all that kung fu training Lisbon. Just don't lose sight of me and I think we can get Boyd before he gets me" he smiled, assured of his continuing safety at her hands.

"Just don't go wandering off somewhere without telling us where you're going. I mean it Jane!" Lisbon barked, worried already.

"I will tell you if I so much as leave the room" he teased. If only Lisbon could believe him.

Grace got busy preparing a statement for the press and they had it sent out within the hour. Now they had to just go about their business and see what turned up. For Jane, that meant a trip upstairs to his beloved attic. Up there, overlooking the city, he felt safe, at home, finally. Lisbon let him go, knowing he needed to regain some of his lost equilibrium. He stayed up there for two hours and eventually wandered down again, looking rested and refreshed. By the wrinkles pressed into his face, Lisbon could guess that he had laid down on his makeshift bed and had a nap. She couldn't blame him, he had had a big day.

(Boyd's Apartment)

Boyd was listlessly pacing the floor, tired of schooling Carol in the story she had to repeat convincingly to the detective over at the SAC PD. He had to be careful the guy he lived with didn't overhear their planning and coaching sessions. Boyd wanted her to return to her brother's house tomorrow, first thing. It would be more believable if she didn't stay away too long, and he also just wanted her gone again. While resistant at first, Carol had finally agreed to call Jim after breakfast tomorrow. Jim then would call the police, Boyd warned her of that. He wandered into the living room and put on the TV, half watching and half dozing. The news came on and the lead story caught his ear. The unnamed CBI employee accused of aggravated kidnapping and assault of a young woman had been granted bail on the condition he stayed in Sacramento and reported to the police every day. Boyd jumped out of his chair in anger. What the hell! That miserable shit Jane was walking around free as a bird and Boyd was hiding out in this shitty place? What the hell? Carol could hear him yelling all the way up in her bedroom. She hated it when he got so mad. He would take it out on her later, she was sure of it. Boyd was cursing loudly and she heard his beer bottle hit the wall. Oh God! What had set him off?

Carol tiptoed downstairs to see what was going on. Boyd was ranting in the living room to the TV screen, letting out a stream of profanities she had never even heard before. What was so terrible now?

She entered the living room timidly and put her hand on Boyd's arm. He swung around and saw her frightened face. Somehow he calmed down, seeing that he needed Carol to work with him in the next crucial 24 hours. She sure as hell wasn't going back to Jim's house tomorrow, not now. No, he needed to think, plan, switch gears. He waved her away and sank down in his chair. He would stay there until he knew exactly what to do with Patrick Jane.

Carol left him sitting there and slid into bed alone, grateful that his anger would not be directed at her tonight. Whatever he was planning, she hoped she would not suffer as a result. She fell asleep listening to him curse and wail into the still of the night.


	24. Face To Face With The Devil

I have another chapter ready to go. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to get bumpy.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 24

Face to Face With The Devil

(CBI - Morning)

Jane awoke the next morning in his attic remarkably refreshed and eager to start his day. The bed was not particularly comfortable, but compared to a prison cot, he was satisfied with his hard mattress. Lisbon had not wanted him to return to his motel alone, and staying there with him was out of the question. If Boyd stayed hidden for a long time, they would have to find Jane better accommodations. Boyd, on the other hand, had not slept well at all. His plan had not included Jane getting out on bail for his terrible crime, but now he was walking around freely! Carol and Boyd were the ones forced into hiding. The idea of it made him crazy. He would have to find Jane and deal with him once and for all. The time he had already spent following Jane around was time well spent, as he now knew all of his habits and favourite places. He just had to move when the right opportunity presented itself. And so the waiting game began. Jane moved about the city, but there was always someone from work close by, eating lunch with him, buying fruit, shopping for tea, buying gas. What the hell was going on? Mostly it was that attractive dark haired Agent Lisbon. Did Jane and Lisbon have an office romance going on? Is that why she was always out with him when he left the CBI? Jane was resting on his sofa as much as possible when they were back at the office, letting his ribs heal and dealing with his rapidly diminishing headaches. Every day he felt a bit better, physically and mentally.

Carol was trying to keep her distance from Boyd whenever he came back to the house. He was frustrated each time he returned, cursing about how Jane was impossible to snag because of that bitch Lisbon. Carol spent her time tidying up the house for Boyd and his friend as best she could, and offered Boyd encouragement that one day soon, Jane would be alone and vulnerable once again.

Jane for the most part was enjoying himself immensely. When he was not working with the team at the CBI, he made a point of being out in the city, in full view of Boyd, with Lisbon there for backup. Just having that many opportunities to spend time with Lisbon outside of work was a pleasure he would not take for granted. Two days later, Boyd watched as Jane arrived at a coffee shop with Lisbon and they settled down to enjoy a drink and a pastry, both sitting in window seats, staring out into the street. Boyd hung back around the corner, watching them with growing frustration. Carol was driving him crazy with her attempts to be domestic, but she couldn't cook worth a shit. He made better meals over a campfire! And here he was trailing two cops around town like a damned dog!

Lisbon sat in the sunny window scanning the faces of every man who walked by. They had not caught a single glimpse of Boyd on any of their many trips into downtown Sacramento these last few days. She felt like she was neglecting her work.

"You don't have to feel guilty you know" Jane said, reading her thoughts so easily.

"No? While I traipse around the city with you, instead of being in my office doing my job, I shouldn't feel guilty?" she replied, annoyed that they had made no headway so far.

"I'm sorry being with me is such a hardship Lisbon" said Jane, feigning offense.

"No, it's not that at all!" she answered, sorry she had hurt his feelings. "It's just that it seems like we're wasting our time when we could be interviewing Boyd's old friends, people he worked with, you know, following police procedure!"

Jane dismissed her argument with a wave of his hand. Taking a long sip of his Ceylon tea, he gave her a warm look. She was so cute when she was filled with righteous indignation.

'Yes, you're right Lisbon, we could do that" he smiled, eliciting a smile in return. 'But it wouldn't get us anywhere."

"No?"

"No. Boyd is unemployed, living off the last of his mother's life insurance. He doesn't have work buddies, only drinking buddies. So unless you want to interview every drunk in every bar in Sacramento, we won't learn anything new about Boyd. Let him come to us."

Lisbon stared out at the street again, frustration mounting as the days passed, but Jane was most likely right. She could assign agents to fan out into the city to ask random people in bars if they knew Boyd McLean, but the success rate of that time consuming task would most likely be very low. So she sat and drank her coffee with Jane, waiting for Boyd to slip up. It felt so odd to put themselves on display for a criminal.

Jane reached out and patted her hand. "Cheer up! It's a beautiful day and we're sitting in the sun drinking tea and coffee together. What could be better?" he smiled, his face beaming with the joy of the moment. Lisbon took one look at him and couldn't help but laugh back. God that man could always make her smile.

"By the way Jane, does Bertram seem to be acting odd lately?" Lisbon asked.

"Odder than usual?" deflected Jane, examining his fingernails.

""Yes, odder… he has this thing about paperclips now" she muttered.

"A thing? Like how?" asked Jane, filled with innocent wonder.

"If I hand him a file with a paperclip on the papers inside, he just freaks out and tells me to get rid of them, that they're dangerous!" she snorted.

"Dangerous huh?" echoed Jane, seemingly surprised.

"Yes! And everybody else has noticed it too. He won't even let his secretary keep them in his office anymore, says she has to find something else to use instead. People are starting to think he's nuts Jane!" she stated, shaking her head.

"Really? That is strange. What could be dangerous about a paperclip?" he said in concern.

"I don't know, but he better not pull that crap when he's in a meeting with his political buddies. They'll think he's lost it" she harrumphed, while Jane stirred his tea and agreed wholeheartedly with her.

The next day Lisbon had a morning meeting, so it was Rigsby's turn to babysit Jane if he left the building. A new case had come in and the team was heading out to the crime scene. Jane was glad to have a new crime to occupy his mind, his hide and seek game with Boyd getting boring and old already. Cho stood up and signalled that it was time to go.

"Rigsby, we need to go in my car. I want to go to the house on our way back to the office" asked Jane.

"Ah, no way. We go in the SUV, not in that blue death trap you drive Jane" replied Rigsby. He refused to curl his long body up into a tight ball to squeeze into that French contraption. Jane just shrugged and accepted the insult against his beloved Citroen. How the team couldn't see why it was such a great car was beyond him. Their loss…

The trip out into the country was a refreshing change from the office and downtown Sacramento. The crime itself was not going to be too challenging. Jane walked around the body, sniffing it and examining it like a dog chews a bone: thoroughly and joyfully. To Jane it was a puzzle to be solved, albeit a very unfortunate and sad puzzle. When the team was finished they returned to their vehicles and headed back to the office. Jane reminded Rigsby that he wanted to go to his house, to see it once again since his incarceration. He hoped the yellow crime scene tape was long gone, as it would be a reminder of what had happened there.

Far behind Rigsby's SUV, a dark blue van chugged down the highway, its' driver focussed solely on keeping the large black vehicle within sight. Boyd had sprayed his beige van dark blue, switching out the license plates as well. Now he had a bit more freedom to follow Jane outside of the downtown core. Carol had been brought along as well, her boredom and nagging finally wearing Boyd down.

Rigsby pulled into the driveway and stopped his vehicle. Jane sat back and stared at his 'new' old house, happy to be back but saddened by the events that had transpired inside his house without his knowledge. He had to see the house again and make some better memories there now.

"Are you coming in Rigsby?" Jane asked as he stepped out of the SUV. Rigsby was taking his phone out and shook his head, no.

"Give me a minute. I have a call to make then I'll come in" he told Jane.

Patrick took the key out of his pocket and opened his front door. The house looked the same as he remembered it, except for all the black fingerprint dust everywhere. The sheets on his little cot were missing, no doubt in an evidence lockup back at SAC PD. He could see many footprints in the sawdust on the floor, left by numerous cops moving around the house looking for evidence of his "crime". Shaking his head, he resolved to remove all traces of the police intrusion as soon as possible, then he would resume working on his house. Boyd was not going to stop him from completing his plan for this grand old estate house.

Rigsby was busy searching for a number on his cell phone, when a hand reached into the open driver's side window and pressed a gun against his neck. He instantly froze in place, not daring to move.

A hand opened the door and pulled Rigsby out of the vehicle backwards.

"Don't turn around. You look at me, you die" said a man's voice. Rigsby nodded ever so slightly and raised his hands above his head. The next thing he felt was the butt of the gun glancing off the back of his head. The world spun rapidly in circles into a black black hole.

Rigsby fell at Boyd's feet. Boyd told Carol to come out of hiding and help him lug the big man into the back of the SUV. It was difficult, but with the two of them, they managed to drag him around and into the big vehicle. Carol looked around to see if anyone was watching, but at this time of day everyone was at work or school. They were alone. Boyd duct taped Rigsby's mouth shut and handcuffed his hands and feet together. He would not bother them again.

Now Boyd made his way over to the house, with Carol keeping close to him, shaking in fear and excitement.

"We've got him baby! We've got Jane!" whispered Boyd. He stepped quietly up the front stairs and eased open the front door. Jane was in the kitchen, cleaning up the counter and filling a kettle with fresh cold water for tea. Rigsby would want to get back to the office right away, but Jane would just talk him into staying for a while. He plugged in the kettle then opened the kitchen cupboard to reach for the tin of his favourite tea. He heard a squeak from the old wooden floor behind him.

"Tea or coffee Rigsby? I don't have any donuts!" he laughed. When no one answered, Jane turned around to see what his partner was up to. A gun tipped with a silencer was pointing directly at Jane, in Boyd's steady hand. Carol cringed behind Boyd's back but looked triumphantly at Jane nonetheless.

"No thanks, nothing for me" answered Boyd. "Unless you got beer?"

Jane froze in place, his heart rate speeding up in fear. He raised his hands over his head and stared at Boyd. Where was Rigsby?

"Hello Boyd" Jane said quietly, trying to remain calm. Boyd seemed taken aback when Jane used his name.

"How'd ya know my name?" he blurted out in surprise.

Jane spoke in measured tones. "We're the police Boyd. We had your name from the first day, thanks to your girlfriend Carol" he said, turning his gaze to the young woman now.

Boyd spun around and grabbed Carol, dragging her up beside him. "Why the hell'dya tell them my name?" he demanded.

"I didn't Boyd! Honestly, I never told them anything! Jane's lying!" she squeaked in fear.

"Actually, she is telling the truth. She didn't squeal on you Boyd, but she just couldn't stay off her phone when the police were around the corner listening to her every word" said Jane, hoping Rigsby would make his appearance any time now. "We knew that Boyd was the person we were after. Carol could never have pulled off this scam by herself" he said, making her scowl at his insult.

"So I guess you know what all this is about then smart guy" said Boyd, shaken but rapidly regaining control of his emotions. "Why'd we get you arrested?"

Jane took a deep breath to slow down his heart rate, looking quickly towards the front door hoping to see Rigsby tiptoeing towards Boyd, gun drawn and backup on the way. The hallway was empty.

"If you're looking for your cop buddy, he's not going anywhere. I took care him!" said Boyd, smiling smugly. Carol grinned nervously and stepped back again behind her boyfriend.

Jane saw that he was all alone in this now. What had happened to Rigsby? Best to keep Boyd talking.

"What's this all about? I can hazard a guess. It's about revenge. Payback for what you think I did to your father. Am I right?" said Jane.

Boyd looked stunned, but said nothing.

"Your father is Asher McLean. He was found guilty of statutory rape of young women in his care. Your father was committing rape against young women who were unfortunate enough to be sent to Bright Arch under his guardianship. No one would have found out except that a young man was murdered by another camper and we came in to investigate."

"You stuck your nose in where it didn't belong!" shouted Boyd, waving his gun around wildly.

Jane backed up as the gun came closer. "Your father raped girls Boyd! He did that and he got caught. Then he went to jail. That's what happens when you break the law" replied Jane with frustration now evident in his voice.

"You should have done your job and arrested the kid who killed the boy, not go after my father!" screamed Boyd, himself now behaving like a damaged child.

Jane was silent. Nothing he said would appease this enraged young man. Carol was looking a bit more bold, now that Jane was standing with his hands raised up over his head. His helplessness gave her courage. She stepped out from behind Boyd and walked up to Jane. Before he could speak to her she raised her hand and slapped Jane hard across the face, cutting his lip with her ring. As his mouth filled with blood, she stepped back and laughed at him.

"That's for my father Steven Hannigan. You ruined my family!" she spat out.

Jane lowered a hand and wiped his lip off on the back of it as more blood dripped onto the kitchen floor. He glared at Carol and knew she had no concept of her father's ineptitude. She was firmly stuck in the emotions of a 10 year old who missed her Daddy. How do you placate someone like that?

"Feel better?" he egged her on. She took a step forward with her hand raised again but Boyd stopped her.

"Calm down! Jane ain't goin' nowhere Carol. Jeez…."

"So I ruined your family? I had that much power?" asked Jane. Carol stared at him petulantly, believing that he had done just that.

"Just so you know once and for all, I was hired by Director Virgil Minelli to work as a consultant with the CBI. No one fired your father from the department. He chose to leave all on his own, even when Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon tried to talk him out of it. He then joined another department in the CBI, where he screwed up so badly he ultimately was told to quit. How is that my fault Carol?" he asked, staring at her. She couldn't take his intense scrutiny and turned her head away, not sure if she believed him.

"Not convinced yet? He joined the SAC PD and continued to screw up. He was recently put on probation again, like a new recruit. If he messed up again, he was going to be fired."

"You're lying!" she shouted.

"I'm not lying. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't keep his hands to himself and he beat up a suspect who turned out to be totally innocent. Sent him to the hospital with a broken arm Carol. Then he got fired. He was working his last days when I got arrested and put in the jail at the SAC PD, thanks to you two Einsteins. And guess what he did then?"

Carol glared at Jane, her illusions about her unjustly treated father crumbling with every word Jane spoke.

"Take a look at my face Carol. Take at look at the bruises, my cracked ribs and my bruised bones. Your father did that to me in my cell. He almost killed me for something I didn't do." He took a step closer to make his point to Carol.

"You must be so proud."

Carol turned her back to Jane in a rage, not wanting to hear any of this, not wanting any of it to be true, because if it was, she was as bad as her father now.

"Carol" said Jane softly. "Carol. I forgive your father for beating me. Want to know why?"

Boyd stood staring at Jane, snickering at his heartfelt plea to the stupid girl. Carol turned to face Jane, trying to see if he was jerking her around even now.

"You wouldn't forgive him, that would be crazy" she stated reasonably.

"I would and I can. He loves you Carol, even if he wasn't always there for you. He loves you and as far as he was concerned I took you and did horrific things to you. What father wouldn't want to take revenge against the monster who did that to his little girl?" said Jane quietly, images of Charlotte crowding into his mind.

"Like you would know!" she argued back.

"I do know." Jane sighed deeply. Angela and Charlotte were too precious to have their names bandied about by the likes of Boyd and Carol, but Carol needed to know the truth, finally. Jane gathered himself up to speak about the unspeakable.

"I had a little girl once. Her name was Charlotte. She was blonde and small, like you. An evil man killed her and her mother in their own bedrooms. I lost them both in an instant. I will do whatever I need to do to kill that man Carol. So believe me when I tell you I understand a father's need for revenge."

Boyd had watched this exchange with impatience, not caring in the slightest whether or not Steve Hannigan deserved anyone's forgiveness and not giving a shit that Jane had lost his family too. He wanted to get his own revenge meted out. Carol looked at Jane with a new realization dawning on her. She was a monster herself.


	25. A New Plan

Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews, much appreciated. Here we go...

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 25

A New Plan

The kettle was now boiling furiously, whistling as the steam built up more and more forcefully. The emotional spell cast by Jane's admission to Carol was now broken and he stepped back, staring at the gun inches from his heart. Boyd was irritated by the whistling kettle and Jane took the chance to look at it and pointed to it, indicating he could turn it off.

"Go ahead, stop that damned noise!" warned Boyd.

Jane agreed not to try anything. He took a step back and unplugged the electric kettle, seemingly to move it over to the counter closest to the sink. Then he had a change of heart and took a wild chance. As his hand carried the hot vessel over, he suddenly lunged forward and threw the boiling water at Boyd. As the scalding water hit Boyd and Jane's hand as well, Boyd screamed as he was hit in the face with it, his hand dropping the gun as he reflexively grabbed his burnt flesh. Jane dove frantically for the gun as it fell but was tripped up by Carol, who had leaped forward at the same time. As he wrestled her for possession of the weapon Boyd jumped on Jane's back, pummelling him with his scalded fists. Carol and Boyd together fought Jane to the ground, his cracked ribs and extensive bruises slowing down his ability to fight them off. Boyd emerged victorious, his gun back in his red raw hands while Carol scratched and clawed at Jane like a wild animal.

"Get up!" Boyd ordered Jane, who was now panting and hurting, his only chance at grasping a weapon taken away from him. He stood up slowly and faced his enemy again.

"I oughtta kill you right now!" screamed Boyd, his nose inches away from Jane's face. Jane wisely said nothing. Carol paced the kitchen, almost manic in her emotional state.

Boyd glared at Jane, desperate to beat the living shit out of him to show him who was boss. As he forced himself to calm down, he took a moment to consider what to do now. He could just pull the trigger and Jane would be out of his life once and for all. He wanted him dead, but, not like this. It had to be planned better, and more of a challenge. That's what his Dad always told him. When you hunt an animal, you have to make it challenging or else you had no bragging rights after you made the kill. Looking at Jane so subdued, his hands up in air, his face bleeding, no, he couldn't in all good conscience just end him here, with a single bullet to the brain. His death had to have meaning. His death had to be worthy of everything his father had taught him.

Carol was a confused wreck. Everything she had ever believed about her father was a lie and they were torturing an innocent man. She knew it was wrong. Wrong. Carol stopped and studied Boyd and saw him for what he was, a cold-hearted manipulator. He had dragged her into this mess and she was going to jail if they got caught. He didn't give a damn about her. He was just using her. A new idea formed in her mind.

"Boyd!" she hissed out at him. Boyd kept his eyes on Jane and ignored her. Carol grabbed his sleeve and tugged on his arm, "Boyd!"

"What the hell you want!" he yelled back at her without turning his head to look at her.

"Boyd, let's get outta here! We should just go! We can run away and leave him here tied up till we're long gone" she begged him. She was bordering on panic now.

"Are you stupid? Just when we got him where we want him?" he answered in amazement.

Jane's heart rate sped up at the unravelling of the partnership. Maybe this would work to his advantage after all. Carol looked at Jane and almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"Boyd, I mean it, c'mon! Let's just go! They can't do anything to us if we leave now. There's no case if I disappear and we run away!" she begged him. Boyd kept his gun on Jane but turned to look at Carol. A new thought entered his mind. He knew how to fix this. How to deal with Carol.

"You're right sweetie, you should just disappear" he said as he turned on his heel and shot her almost point blank in the gut as Jane recoiled in horror. Carol fell instantly, clutching her bleeding abdomen, a look of surprise on her frozen face. Jane threw himself back against the counter, not believing what he had just witnessed. Carol lay writhing on the floor in pain, shock and confusion on her young face. Jane knew there was nothing he could do for her unless she got help right this moment. Boyd turned back to face Jane with a broad smile on his face as the sounds of gurgling and struggling to breathe came from behind him. Jane backed up as far as he could as the gun came closer to his chest.

"Look what you did!" Boyd said to a horrified Jane. "You shot her in cold blood you bastard! Your fingerprints will be all over the gun when they find it a couple of days from now" he grinned.

Jane looked past him at the young girl as the pool of blood grew larger under her small body. She didn't speak, but moaned in distress and a rapidly weakening ability to breathe. Jane was stunned into immobility, every muscle in his body paralyzed in fear. Boyd grabbed his shoulder and pulled Jane forward.

"Get moving!"

Boyd indicated to Jane to walk towards the back door leading out to side porch, waving his gun for effect. Jane roused himself out of his stupor and walked shakily forward, his hands still high over his head as the sounds of Carol dying behind him in the kitchen rang in his ears. Boyd kicked the door open and nudged Jane through with the end of his gun. They were hidden from prying eyes in the street. The blue van was sitting out on the street so they had to walk quickly to get to it. Jane could see the SUV rocking in the driveway, all signs showing that Rigsby was trying to free himself inside. Good, that meant that he was still breathing. Boyd laughed at the futile attempts Rigs was making and dug his gun into Jane's ribs, moving him forward towards the blue van. They made their way down the driveway and reached the van without anyone seeing the drama playing out on the quiet street. Sliding the side door open, he shoved Jane in and quickly handcuffed him to a ring set into the wall of the vehicle. Then he ran around the van and hopped in behind the steering wheel. Jamming the van into reverse, he pulled out of the driveway, careening wildly onto the street and disappeared into the downtown traffic. The cuffs bit deeply into Jane's newly healed wrists as the van lurched down the street. One block over a tall blonde man was watching the whole thing take place as he stared with astonishment at his monitor, his drone filming the neighbourhoods of Sacramento once more.

Murf's hands were shaking as he took out his cell phone and dialed the number on the business card Cho had given him. With a thumping heart he prayed the agent would answer immediately. On the third ring he heard the calm voice of Agent Cho.

"Agent Cho! It's Murf! Ya gotta come right now man! Get over here!" yelled Murf in a panic.

"Mr. Murphy? Slow down! Tell me what's wrong!" said Cho loudly, trying to make sense of the distraught man's call.

"Agent Cho! It's Patrick! Someone just kidnapped him at gunpoint! At his house! It's on my drone cam!" he yelled in verbal shorthand.

Cho stood up and signalled Van Pelt and Lisbon with his hand to come quickly.

"Is Agent Rigsby there with you?" he asked.

"Ahh, no, but a car is in the driveway! Dude! Come now!" he yelled.

"We're on our way" said Cho as calmly as he could manage.

"What is it?" asked Lisbon as she saw Cho reach for his weapon, a sick feeling washing over her.

"It's Jane. Boyd took him" Cho said, knowing that it had to be Boyd. All three agents grabbed their guns and bullet proof vests while calling for backup. They were out of the office in minutes. The trip to the old house seemed to take forever, but they got there in record time. The assorted CBI vehicles slammed to a stop outside the house and the agents approached with their weapons drawn. Cho spotted Murf in the empty lot next door, still flying his drone! What the hell? He's playing now?

Van Pelt ran over to the black SUV rocking violently in the driveway and spotted Rigsby desperately trying to free himself in the back. She pulled open the door and used her handcuff key to release his cuffs. He rolled out and fell into the dirt, his head bleeding and his self-respect crushed.

"Wayne! Are you OK?" Grace asked with concern.

"Fine! I'm fine! Go help Jane!" he shouted in frustration. Van Pelt nodded and ran off to join the other agents approaching the house with caution. They had no idea who else might be inside with a weapon. Lisbon and Cho crept up to the front door with Van Pelt as the other agents went around to the back door. After they counted down they burst through the door as one, and encountered no resistance in their room by room search. As they converged on the kitchen, they found Carol in her last moments of life. Lisbon crouched down and took her face in her hands.

"Who did this to you Carol? Who shot you?" she begged the dying girl.

Carol was holding on with everything she could rally, but being gut-shot is a death sentence. She looked at Lisbon and formed one soft word.

"Boyd"

Lisbon was screaming for EMT's as the agents around her secured the house. Van Pelt saw the empty tea kettle on the floor and the puddle of water around it. There was another small puddle of blood close to the counter, nowhere near Carol's body.

"Boss" she said, needing Lisbon's attention now.

She pointed to the blood and hazarded a guess. "Might be Jane's blood."

Lisbon took in the crime scene and felt an anger coil up in her so swiftly it threatened to overwhelm her. Boyd had suddenly ramped up his revenge and Jane was most likely already injured. Had he been shot as well? Where would Boyd go with him? Numerous calls were made for more help at the crime scene as the paramedics arrived for Carol. Within minutes they covered her with a sheet, noting the time of death. Boyd was now wanted for murder as well as kidnapping. His life was over.

Lisbon stepped outside and went to Rigsby, who was being tended to by an EMT. He looked ashen faced and angry with himself, but Lisbon would not allow him to wallow in self-pity. He had been blindsided even though he would consider this his fault. Cho wandered over to Murf, to see how much Murf knew.

"Mr. Murphy, can you stop playing with that thing and talk to me about the kidnapping?" he called out to Murf, who was completely absorbed in watching his monitor.

"No can do Agent Cho!" he answered briefly.

"Murf! Stop that and talk to me!" barked Cho.

Murf took his eyes off the monitor for a split second and then turned back to view it again.

"Be cool man! I'm following the blue van with Jane inside! As long as they're in range, I can see where they're going with my drone!" he explained in a rush.

Cho's eyes widened in understanding. Murf was helping the police by tracking Boyd's escape! Cho shouted to Lisbon to come over and told her what Murphy was doing.

"How far can you track him?" she asked.

"Not for much longer. We need to follow the blue van and I can keep my drone flying overhead until I lose power or we find Jane" said Murf.

Cho ran over to his vehicle and brought it up to the empty lot. Van Pelt and Lisbon sat in the back, while Cho drove and Murf hung out of the front passenger window. Rigsby was being loaded into the ambulance on his way to the hospital as he saw the SUV peel out of the lot and take off down the road. His day was done.


	26. Taken

Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews, much appreciated. Thank you also to the new guest reviewers. Your comments are great!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 26

Taken

Jane was tossed and banged around, anchored by his wrists, as the van sped down the highway heading out of town. By now he figured Lisbon and Cho would be wondering why he and Rigsby had not returned from the crime scene. As he considered this his cell phone rang in his pocket. He knew it would be Lison trying to locate him. No doubt she had also tried Rigsby's phone. When neither of them picked up he prayed her curiosity would lead her to his old house and Carol. Maybe they could save that girl's life yet. Boyd was driving like one possessed. If they got pulled over for speeding, Jane was sure a shoot-out would be the unwanted result. If that didn't happen, how would anyone know where to look for him? His phone kept ringing, and Boyd cursed behind the wheel, listening to his captive's cell phone. He had forgotten to take it away from Jane! Could it be tracked? He would have to deal with that immediately. Up ahead was an old gas station and Boyd pulled off the road as quickly as possible. As he jammed on the brakes in a cloud of dust, he pulled over to the side of the gas station parking lot as far away from prying eyes as he could get. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he stood up and hunched over Jane, who lay against the side wall in the back of the van, his hands cuffed above his head. Boyd frantically ran his hands over Jane's suit jacket until he found the phone. Grabbing it he smashed it against the floor of the van, stepping on it to make sure the device was completely disabled. Jane watched with dispassion, knowing his chances of using it to contact Lisbon had been zero no matter whether or not Boyd had found the phone. No, he was completely on his own now. Unless a miracle happened, he had to get himself out of this mess. Boyd laughed now as he kicked the fractured pieces of plastic and metal aside and glowered at Jane, so cowed and broken. This is what he had always wanted. The great Patrick Jane, useless, helpless, friendless, his life now resting entirely in Boyd's hands. The smile on Boyd's face grew broader as he stared at Jane, not believing he had masterminded this beautiful takedown of his greatest enemy. As he turned to sit behind the wheel, he paused and gave Jane a kick in the mid-section just for the pleasure of hearing him cry out in agony. As Jane did just that, curling himself up against the pain, Boyd snickered again and resumed his position behind the wheel. Pulling out of the lot, he rapidly sped up and rejoined the crowded lines of traffic heading out of the city. Jane lay back against the wall of the van, gasping for air as his chest throbbed. The pain in his ribs had greatly increased after the kick. Had Boyd cracked another rib? God he hurt all over!

Once he could breathe again, he looked out of the high side window of the van. He could just see the tall buildings of Sacramento speed past. Eventually they were replaced by highway light poles, and then, nothing but blue sky. They were heading out into the hills. Jane knew that Boyd was completely at home in the forests and could live off the land for a very long time. What would he do with Jane once he got hidden away in the woods? Whatever it was, the result was not going to be good for Jane.

After driving for well over an hour, Boyd pulled up at a small cabin and dragged Jane out of the van. Jane was moving very slowly, his bones aching from the hard ride in the van and the new assault on his ribs. Boyd marched him at gunpoint to a small outbuilding where he opened the door and a jeep sat under a tarp. Jane's heart sank at the realization that no one would know about this vehicle. They would search for a beige or blue van but not a jeep. Boyd nudged Jane into the front side seat of the jeep and cuffed his hands to the strap over the door frame. Jane could do nothing to escape from the vehicle. Getting behind the wheel, Boyd flashed Jane a smile and backed out, taking off again into the wilderness. He followed a trail that Jane could barely make out in the dense vegetation.

"My Dad brought me here every summer when I was growing up. I know these roads like the back of my hand. No one will find us up here. When we get to the camp we will have all the supplies we'll need, or, all I will need" he corrected himself. Jane would not be needing food or shelter at all, not after today.

Jane just ignored Boyd and stared straight ahead, trying to notice markers to find his way back if he was lucky enough to make a break for freedom.

Boyd was beginning to relax and enjoy his drive now. Carol's death didn't seem to have registered with him at all. She was already forgotten.

Boyd chatted easily now, almost like a tour guide. "Up ahead a piece, there's the old hunt camp my Dad and I used to go to. We stayed there for weeks until I had to go back to school. When Dad got his job at Bright Arch, I'd go up and keep him company and play with the kids on the weekends. Man those kids were some kind of screwed up!" he laughed.

Jane looked at him in amazement. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

"Dad taught me how to hunt and fish, and track animals. I could lay bait and catch just about anything. I brought down a big buck when I was only 11!" he boasted. "He was my first kill!"

Jane let him ramble on, gaining valuable insight into the mind of Boyd McLean. His father had reached mythic proportions in his mind. He was completely unable to connect his father's crime to the persona he had created of the perfect father figure. No wonder Boyd hated Jane. Jane had taken away the one man Boyd idealized over any other.

"I'm a crack shot with a rifle, good with a hunting knife" he continued. "But you know what weapon I like the best Jane?" Boyd asked, turning to look at his prisoner for the first time since they got into the jeep. Jane ignored the question.

"Well I'll tell you anyway. The crossbow. That's my weapon of choice. Silent death. You just never know when the arrow will find you!" he cackled. As the jeep bounced along the rough back country roads, Boyd felt the urge to educate his prisoner. "Bet you didn't know crossbow arrows are called 'bolts' Jane. They can be wooden bolts or carbon fibre. Personally I prefer carbon. Old school hunters prefer wood. But really, who gives a shit as long as you score a kill" he continued. The hairs stood up on the back of Jane's neck. Was he going to be the next big buck Boyd brought down?

Boyd was grinning broadly now, totally in his element out here in the woods. If he had been able to grow and mature like any other teenager, he could have made a wonderful career out of his outdoor skills. The National Forest Service could have used his abilities, or he could have opened his very own camp for other nature enthusiasts. Instead he was stuck in a never ending cycle of hate and frustration, wasting the very gifts his father had bestowed upon him. Jane started to recognize some of the makers around him as they drove. He had been here before. They were going to the long abandoned Bright Arch camp.

(CBI Team)

Cho was driving with his lights flashing and his siren blaring, clearing the traffic like Moses parting the Red Sea. They were following Murf's directives and without his assistance, Jane's whereabouts would have been a mystery. Murf shouted out an order to turn off onto a side road. Cho slammed on the brakes and made the turn, Lisbon and Van Pelt holding on as the SUV swayed on the curve.

"Where's he taking Jane?" asked Van Pelt, worried that they were heading out into the country. Lisbon took out a paper map and looked to see what was ahead. Several small towns were located between them and Boyd's van, but after that it was open country. As the well manicured land turned to scrub brush then tall trees, it became apparent where Boyd was running to.

"He's going to disappear into the forest. If we lose him there we won't have much chance of finding him. He's the survival expert" she said with worry. Cho nodded in agreement, thinking how best to get the upper hand. Murf was getting concerned about the life of his drone, afraid it would conk out before they found his friend Patrick. Cho called back to Lisbon with an idea.

"We could use a chopper Boss. We can drive as fast as we want but Boyd is so far ahead of us he just needs to hit the trees and we've lost him. Can we get a chopper to meet us up ahead?"

Lisbon had her phone out immediately and called Bertram for his approval. The line rang and rang. His office was empty, as usual. What that man did all day was a constant source of discussion around the coffee machine. Growling in frustration, Lisbon called Carlson and was put straight through.

"Bob! Bob! We need your help!" she shouted in anxiety.

"Sure, anything Agent Lisbon" Carlson answered.

"We need a SAC PD chopper to meet us at Linden's Bend, north of Sacramento. Jane has been kidnapped by Boyd and if he makes it to the forest we'll lose them both" she explained briefly.

"Done!" agreed Carlson. "I'll meet you out there in a few" he added, hanging up and getting busy with her request. The case against Jane had created many hard feelings, and yet a new appreciation for both police agencies had also sprung up. Something good from something bad.

Lisbon hung up and told her partners that help was on its' way. There was a large clearing up ahead at the small town of Linden's Bend, and they would wait for the helicopter there. Murf turned off his drone and collected it a few miles ahead when they slowed down. He would need as much battery power as possible to track Jane and Boyd once they hit the forest ahead.

(The Forest)

Boyd drove on, passing the hunt camp he had loved so much. He grandly pointed out it's many interesting bits of history enthusiastically to Jane. Jane stared straight ahead, his wrists screaming in pain as he was jostled about roughly in the small jeep. His cracked ribs, so recently on the mend, were aching and complaining now from being banged around non-stop. When this was over, if he survived, he was going to go to the beach for a week, whether or not Bertram signed off on it. Screw that man. Oh yes…..Bertram. He still needed a little payback for his callous disregard for Jane's freedom. A small smile crept over Jane's face as he contemplated what to do to Bertram next even as Boyd droned on about his happy days at the hunt camp.

(Linden's Bend)

Many miles later, Cho saw the small town of Linden's Bend straight ahead and aimed the SUV for the large empty lot just on the left of the town's entrance. Within a few minutes the sound of a helicopter filled the sky and all eyes lifted to see its' welcome arrival. When it finally settled on the ground, the door slid open and Carlson emerged, wearing camouflage coloured clothing. He was serious about finding Boyd and Jane. Carlson ran over to greet the CBI team and in minutes everyone was aboard the SAC PD chopper heading for the mountains and forests that hid Boyd. Murf nodded a greeting to Carlson who in turn, looked at Lisbon with a questioning expression. Who was this weird guy with a toy aircraft? Lisbon whispered a brief explanation and Carlson looked at Murf, realizing he was the guy whose video evidence had set Jane free. Whatever it took, he would welcome the assistance of this strange man and his 'toy' to find Jane.

(The Forest)

Boyd sped up when the ground became clearer, with more of an established road leading to an open area. They had arrived at Bright Arch camp. It looked tired and overgrown, but Jane clearly recognized the office building where he had first met Asher McLean. The residential buildings for all the boys and girls incarcerated at the camp were still there but badly in need of repair. Jane knew there was a big fire pit not far away and trails leading into the woods going in all directions. Boyd pulled the jeep up and got out. He stood and looked around wistfully, memories of happier days playing through his mind. Jane remained shackled inside the jeep and watched Boyd closely. Jane's life depended on Boyd remaining lucid and talkative. Boyd turned and scanned the driveway behind them and jumped back in the jeep. He gunned the engine and drove behind a large commissary building that used to house the kitchen and dining area. Parking the jeep he released Jane at gunpoint and proceeded to cover the jeep with a camouflaged tarp. Once that was done, he nudged Jane forward and walked out of camp towards the woods. Jane's 3 piece suit and in particular, his old, soft brown shoes with no treads left on the bottom, were the worst gear to be wearing while trudging through the underbrush. Boyd had on sensible hiking boots and dull coloured clothing. He blended in beautifully. After walking for 15 minutes, Boyd grabbed Jane and forced him to get busy digging in the soft earth with a small, collapsible shovel he had brought with him from the jeep. He knew every tree, rock, creek and valley in these dense woods, and had found one of his father's cache's of supplies. Hidden all around the woods were similar cache's filled with dried food, weapons, ammunition, dry clothes. In short, whatever Asher and Boyd needed on their forays into the mountains, it was buried securely. It saved them lugging those heavy supplies with them on their adventures. After five minutes of vigorous digging, Jane exposed the top of a metal container. Another few minutes went by before Boyd stopped Jane and ordered him to open the lid and the container revealed its' arsenal of weapons and foodstuffs. Jane collapsed on a rock and held his painful ribs, sweat pouring down his face.

"Bingo!" shouted Boyd in triumph. He reached in and pulled out a hunting knife in a leather sheath. Strapping it around his waist, he reached in again and found his favourite crossbow and bolts. Jane had never seen a crossbow up close before but had read about them. The arrows, or bolts, were made of carbon with plastic feather-like vanes on the end for balance. The tip was a deadly three vaned point, a broadhead. The thought of that hitting an animal made Jane repulsed. The weapon looked deadly, unbreakable and finely calibrated. It took a skilled hunter to use one of those machines of death, but Jane had no illusions about Boyd's capabilities. He was a skilled marksman with a gun or a crossbow. The chances of Jane surviving the day fell dramatically with the discovery of Boyd's weapon of choice.

"Lookey here!" Boyd crowed happily. "My dad gave this to me the summer the camp closed for good, thanks to you shit head." He held out the crossbow like it was a religious relic to be worshipped by the faithful. He ran his fingers down the length of the main shaft of the machine. The strings needed some adjustments after laying dormant for so long. Boyd stood up and put the crossbow between his feet, using both hands to pull the bowstring all the way back, cocking it for use. After making some adjustments to the trajectory, he dropped a bolt into the groove and stepped out into the clearing. Looking through the sights on the bow he found a target about 20 yards away. A large rabbit sat nibbling grass in a clearing. Boyd levelled his stance, corrected his trajectory and took a deep breath. A moment later his fingers released the trigger and the bolt sailed silently through the air, destroying the target in mid-chew. The rabbit keeled over and lay on it's back, never knowing what hit him. Boyd let out a whistle of joy and Jane turned his head away in disgust for the cruel waste of life.


	27. Death March

OK, I'm excited and had to post the next chapter. I couldn't wait until tomorrow!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 27

Death March

"Look! I still got it!" Boyd hooted. Jane stared at the ground and refused to look at the dead animal, infuriating Boyd. The angry young man grabbed Jane's face and forced him to look at the small corpse.

"I said look!" he shouted behind Jane's ear. As he took in the crumpled body of the dead rabbit and the huge bolt sticking halfway out of its' body, a feeling of foreboding overcame Jane. The dead animal was a potent warning that Boyd wanted Jane to receive. Boyd held Jane's head in place until he had proved his point, then shoved him off the rock he was sitting on.

"Get up shit head, we've got some land to cover" shouted Boyd, pulling Jane up to his feet. Jane's burns were throbbing on his hands and he noticed that Boyd's face was red and covered with blisters. Either he felt the pain and wouldn't let Jane see it, or Boyd was so amped up on adrenaline he truly didn't know his face looked like it was melting.

Jane stumbled forward down a slight hill, his shoes slipping on the soft and loose soil. Boyd shoved him repeatedly with the tip of his gun. Between the knife on Boyd's waist, the gun in his hand, and the crossbow on his back, Jane had no chance to jump Boyd and make a run for it. None that he could see anyway.

(CBI Team)

Carlson and the CBI agents disembarked from the large helicopter at a clearing part way up the mountain. The helicopter couldn't take them any further as they dared not get ahead of Boyd and miss him by ascending too high. From here on in they had to go on foot. They took off running, with Murf easily keeping up with his long legs. They had a lot of distance to cover and wished they had ATV's to use to get through the bush. After slogging for 20 minutes, a small opening appeared before them and a little cabin faced them. Inspecting the ground Cho announced that the footprints in the soft earth were very fresh. Could Boyd have come this way? They walked a bit until Murf yelled at them to come quick. They found him standing beside the old blue van that Boyd had abandoned by the outbuilding. Tracks in the leaves indicated they had taken another vehicle and departed recently. They were getting closer and closer to Boyd and Jane! Carlson lifted the hood of the van and hot wired it to get it going. They all piled in and took off up the mountain, traversing overgrown roadways not meant for a vehicle as large as a van, but making up valuable time nonetheless. When they had gone as far as they could, they were at the gates of Bright Arch camp. Lisbon stepped out of the van and remembered being here years before, when a murderer was revealed and a rapist was caught. The group fanned out and searched the area looking for signs of Jane's presence. Lisbon and Van Pelt found the jeep under the tarp by the commissary and called the men over. Although they had no proof Boyd and Jane had been in it, the tires covered in damp earth and pine needles clearly showed that the jeep had been driven that day.

"Which way did they go?" asked Van Pelt breathlessly. Everyone searched the ground hoping to find an indication of recent activity. It was a daunting task as so many leaves and branches had fallen to the ground. When they had tracked the place for a few minutes Cho spoke up and pointed towards the woods by the back of the camp buildings. Lisbon, Van Pelt and Carlson came over to see what Cho had found. A fresh gouge had been dug into the soft moss covering a large rock, a gouge pointing uphill. Was Jane leaving them a sign? The earth looked trampled around the spot, and upon inspecting the slight hill in front of them, they all saw the earth had been disturbed and gouged by shoes gripping the hill.

"This is where he took Jane!" said Lisbon with excitement. "We have to catch up to them!"

"We have to proceed with caution" said Carlson, afraid they would alert Boyd to their presence if they came crashing through the forest in reckless pursuit of their quarry.

Murf stepped forward, his drone held in his outstretched hands.

"I can send this up and try to find them ahead. No use wandering around like the lost tribes if we can go directly to them" he said hopefully.

"Great! Do it!" said Lisbon, desperate to use whatever advantage they had. Murf got his drone set up and opened his monitor, putting the strap on it back around his neck. He could run and track his drone at the same time. A minute or two later it was up and soaring over the treetops, heading farther up the mountain. The group of agents gathered around to see what showed up on the monitor. Trees, trees and more trees. The occasional open spot appeared, then, more trees. This was going to be extremely difficult. The group moved forward, guiding Murf as he focussed on studying his monitor. No one spoke except to warn each other about a treacherous spot here or there. The going was slow, but they hoped that Jane would be moving slowly too. Sooner or later, they would all have to bump into each other.

(Boyd and Jane)

Jane was moving through the woods like an elephant, slowly and clumsily. If he could break a branch or leave a mark on moss or anything to show where they had been, he took the chance and did it. Boyd felt so supremely in control he never noticed. As the ground got marshy at one point, Jane's flat shoes slipped in the slick surface and sent him crashing down on the ground, eliciting a moan of pain. He had fallen a few times already, and the hike was taking its' toll on him. He was supposed to be resting and recuperating from his injuries, not adding to them. His cracked ribs throbbed in his chest, with new bruises sitting atop old ones now. Boyd scaled the mountain like a goat, dressed for the environment, but Jane would have been more suitably dressed for a banker's meeting. Grabbing him by his shoulders, Boyd yanked Jane up and stood him on his feet again.

"Can't you even walk?" barked Boyd angrily. Jane had been silent so far on this dangerous journey, but he finally dared to talk to his kidnapper.

"Uncuff my hands and my balance will be better" suggested Jane, holding out his cuffed hands. He was frustrated with not being able to use his hands to catch himself as he slipped and fell repeatedly.

Boyd considered his request, noting the sorry condition of his prisoner and the slow pace they were going. That had to change.

"C'mon Boyd. You've got all the weapons. What can I do to you now?" asked Jane reasonably.

Appealing to Boyd's vanity worked, and a moment later Boyd released Jane's wrists from the handcuffs. Feeling the blood rush back into his hands felt wonderful, and gave Jane the opportunity to make his way through the woods a bit more securely. Far overhead, an undetected drone had captured the whole event, watched by Jane's concerned friends.

(CBI Team)

"How far ahead are they?" asked Lisbon, worried sick about Jane. Murf and Cho shook their heads. "Unless they pass a landmark we can find on the map, it's impossible to know just where they are" said Cho.

Murf navigated the drone to fly past Boyd and Jane to scout out the terrain ahead and around them. The group watched the progress of the drone with fascination as it swooped and careened above the treetops and down into valleys. But one valley looked like another, and the forest was an unending ocean of green hiding their quarry. They had no choice but to keep moving upward as quickly as possible.

"We can catch them if we move fast enough" said Lisbon with hope, glad to have seen Jane still alive. Everyone shook their heads in agreement and they took off running as quickly as possible. Murf swung his drone around to find Jane, but once again, the forest had swallowed Boyd and Jane in its' green embrace.

(Boyd and Jane)

Boyd had been shoving Jane forward for miles now. If he was travelling alone he would have been far away from here already. For Jane the walk seemed like pointless wandering, but Boyd knew exactly where he was heading. Boyd had an endgame in mind and was getting nearer and nearer his destination. Checking his watch, Boyd decided it was time for a break.

Hunger was beginning to bother him so he called out for Jane to stop and sit. Following orders, Jane found a fallen log and slumped down in exhaustion. His throat was dry and he was very hungry, light headed even. His clothes were clinging to him in a sweaty embrace. Jane surveyed his surroundings and watched Boyd sit down and stretch his legs. This whole scenario was almost too strange to believe. Dying out here was never the way he could have imagined his life to end. Death at the hands of Red John was expected, but not desired. And if he was fortunate enough to kill Red John somehow, well then, maybe death many years from now in prison would have been a logical demise. But this? Being dragged through the woods by a crazed hunter who no doubt would make him his prey? Now that he could not have foreseen.

Boyd reached for a canteen hanging on his hip and took a long drag of water. Eyeing Jane, he held out the water. As Jane reached for it, Boyd quickly took it back and drank more. He then produced an energy bar from his jacket pocket He took his time to unwrap it and sniff it, teasing Jane with the food so close but so far away. Bite after bite, he teased Jane with the food until it disappeared. Jane was more interested in the water, but none was for him. Finishing the energy bar off with the last of the water, Boyd stood up and started to unzipped his fly, his intention to relieve himself abundantly clear.

"If ya gotta piss, now's the time!" he leered at Jane.

Jane decided to take advantage of this crude offer. He turned around and unzipped as well, uncomfortable with their shared intimacy. A few moments later both men had attended to mother nature and Boyd indicated that rest time was over. Jane nodded and unsteadily turned to resume his trek forward. At one point Jane noticed that Boyd had stopped to check his surroundings, seemingly walking towards some particular place. When his eyes left his hostage for a moment too long, Jane bolted into the dense woods, taking a desperate chance to disappear and get to safety. Jane ran madly through the trees, not doing a very good job of it considering his lousy shoes and sore body, but his need to survive gave him a tiny boost of adrenaline and he plunged through the greenery as fast as he could. Behind him Boyd snickered at his futile attempt to escape. He didn't even rush in his pursuit of Jane. He had time and youth on his side. This forest was Boyd's playground as a kid and he knew exactly where Jane was heading. Jane ran blindly forward, twisting and turning in a fruitless attempt to lose Boyd. After a few minutes he stopped to catch his breath. He could only afford to pause for a moment, then took off running again, this time slower and with more difficulty as his lungs felt like they would burst and his ribs screamed in pain. Five minutes later, there was still no sign of Boyd in the silent woods. Breathless and thirsty, Jane bent over to take a tiny break when an arrow from the crossbow whizzed past his head, lodging in the tree he was standing beside. Jane dropped to the ground in panic and looked around wildly, searching for his hunter. The woods betrayed Jane, not giving up Boyd's position. Jane took off running again, now totally disoriented and possibly running in circles. His legs felt like iron, sliding on his useless shoes in the rich soil.

The woods opened up and he faced a patch of clear ground. Suddenly Jane skidded to a halt. Standing in the clearing ahead of him, holding his crossbow up, Boyd grinned at Jane. His loaded bow was aimed directly at Jane's head. Seeing that his attempt to reach freedom was futile, Jane collapsed to his knees, panting and sweating in exhaustion, fear rising up in his gut like a snake. Boyd walked over to Jane and grabbed his hair, pulling his head up and leered into his face.

"You didn't really think I'd let you get away did you shit head? These are my woods, this is my domain! You're just a rabbit!"

Boyd grabbed Jane's arm, yanking him up to his feet. Jane was thrust forward, the tip of the crossbow in his back now, egging him onward. Barely able to put one foot in front of the other, Jane slogged apathetically through the silent woods, completely exhausted by his failed attempt to escape.

"Try that again and I will shoot you!" Boyd barked, his anger barely under control. Jane was just slowing him down. He wanted to get to his destination and finish the bastard off, then take off for his new life. Taking a deep breath, Boyd steadied himself, calmed himself with the assurance that he would be the only one walking away from all this turmoil very very soon. They walked in silence for some time until Boyd saw a large clearing in the distance ahead that he had been searching for. It was a patch of clear ground, rough and swampy, that wove through a slight valley populated with heavier areas of trees. They trekked onward, eventually making their way up a small hill. Boyd called out to Jane to stop and wait. Right ahead of them a mile past the valley, was Eagle's Bluff, a well known hikers lookout. Jane stood still, sweating and panting, looking around for a place to run to again if possible. He still had not given up hope of finding a way out. He was wondering what Boyd's next surprise would be. Boyd approached and sat on a rock. It was time to fulfil his destiny and end Jane's.


	28. The Endgame Begins

Here's another chapter because some of you are desperate to know what happens next!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 28

The Endgame Begins

The drone had flown overhead and recorded a bit of the snack time happening below. Boyd was teasing Jane with food and water, but gave Jane none for himself. Murf kept up a running commentary so Lisbon and the rest knew what he could see. Then Jane and Boyd plunged into the foliage again and disappeared. Lisbon and her team were so very close now. The breaks that Boyd had taken had given the CBI agents a huge advantage to play catch up and with luck, they would soon be within striking distance. Could they disarm Boyd and get to Jane before Boyd killed him? Lisbon felt her throat constrict as she raced as quietly as possible closer and closer to the deranged young man ahead of her. Carlson reached for his emergency radio and called SAC PD for backup via helicopter. They would need it very soon.

(Boyd And Jane)

Boyd sat on a rock and Patrick did likewise, sick with fatigue and fear. Both men surveyed the valley below them in silence, each contemplating what would soon come to be. Jane was weary, but Boyd was energized by the power he had over the man he had hated for so many years. Now his plan could finally be brought to fruition, but he had to play by the rules his Daddy had taught him so many years ago as a child.

For this to be a righteous kill, he had to let Jane go free and then track him, like he would with any large game. The fact that Jane couldn't escape didn't diminish the fun of the hunt. As the

sun got lower in the late afternoon sky, Boyd knew he had to begin the hunt soon, before it got too dark to bring down his prey

"Is this how you thought it would be?" said Jane quietly, stalling for time to catch his breath and staring at his captor.

Boyd faced Jane, surprised by such a question. Shouldn't Jane be begging for his life just about now?

"I've thought about how to find you and end you for years. Yeah. This is exactly what I hoped for" said Boyd with pride. "I hoped for a moment like this ever since my Dad died but didn't think it would work out." He sounded so young and disillusioned. Boyd stood up and leered down at Jane, his gun dangling from his hand casually.

"I could have killed you any time Jane." He jammed the gun into Jane's forehead, finger on the trigger. " Anytime! No one would have known why. I could have picked you off anywhere and walked away free as a bird, with no one the wiser."

Feeling the barrel of the gun grinding into his skin, Jane stared up into his young face. "So why all this Boyd? This theatre piece that relied on the assistance of a foolish young girl? Surely that only made this more dangerous for you?" he asked, curious to know how this made any sense to Boyd. With relief Jane saw the gun drop down again.

"Well that's just it. Killing you would be easy, and too quick. My father suffered for months in prison, shamed by the other prisoners and rejected by my mother."

"He raped young girls Boyd. He needed to be shamed" said Jane with emphasis on the word 'shamed'.

"I bet they wanted it! I bet they came to him all hot and bothered and figured they would have a better time at Bright Arch if they gave my Dad a little something extra" explained Boyd. "They were sluts, all of 'em!" Of course, Boyd blamed the girls for their suffering.

"So assuming what you're saying was true, then you believe your father should have been free to continue to have sex with children?" proposed Jane. "The last time I checked, it was still against the law no matter what the girls did."

Boyd moved closer, anger once again flaring up in defence of his father's crime. "He wasn't hurting anyone, but he went to prison and he was murdered! He only had 4 years to serve and he would've been home again. We could've moved out into these hills and left the city behind with all of you asshole cops. But he never made it past 4 months before he got shivved in the prison laundry. And that's your fault Jane! For that, you have to pay." Boyd waved his gun in Jane's face and looked like he was dangerously close to using it. Jane had to diffuse his anger somehow.

"So you set me up for a terrible crime using a girl who already hates me, and you're in business. I go to prison, the same prison as your father, and with luck, someone sticks me with a homemade knife and I die like your Dad, right?" said Jane, looking Boyd in the eye.

"It would have meant something. Something to me" moaned Boyd. "Killing you randomly, that was too easy. You had to suffer like he did, go to prison with shame like he did, and piss off the other prisoners 'cause you're a cop. Sooner or later someone would kill you."

"But you chose a foolish girl to work with you and she let you down, right Boyd? She couldn't be controlled like the puppet you wanted."

Boyd looked at Jane knowing he was right. Carol had ultimately been his undoing.

(CBI Team)

Cho, Lisbon, Van Pelt and Carlson were running full out now through the trees, with Murf keeping up while balancing his monitor against his chest. The drone was flying ahead of them, searching the ground for any hint of movement or the shape of two men hiking through the hills. Lisbon prayed that Jane was finding some way to slow Boyd down just in case someone was following them. It was a desperate thought. They had so much ground to cover and Jane was still far away, if in fact they were heading in the right direction. So much could happen before they reached Boyd to disarm him and free Jane. Running full out now they didn't dare to stop for a moment to rest. Any advantage Jane's slowness had given them would be wasted if they stopped their pursuit to catch their breath. They could be too late after all.

Another 20 minutes passed and Murf let out a whoop of surprise. He had just spotted Jane and Boyd in a clearing! As the team gathered around, they saw Boyd standing over Jane as he crouched on his knees. Were they too late to save their friend? Was this the moment Boyd would kill Jane as they watched it play out on the monitor?

Before they had a chance to voice their concerns, they watched as Boyd dragged Jane to his feet and pushed him forward again. He was still on the move! As the drone lifted higher, Murf sent it ahead to find out exactly where everyone was going.

A minute later he called out to them again with the information they needed.

"They're heading to the valley a mile in front of Eagle's Bluff!" he shouted, consulting a paper map. The drone clearly showed the outline of the Bluff, and the map showed them they were now within striking distance of their quarry. At this wonderful news, Cho, Lisbon, Van Pelt and Carlson took off running with renewed vigour. They would catch the bastard very soon!

(Boyd and Jane)

Boyd stood up and gazed down into the valley, watching the sun as it got lower in the sky. Turning to face Jane, he took out his knife and played with it absentmindedly.

"I had so many plans, so many chances to nail you, but when Carol sat down next to me at the bar one night, drunk and angry, mad at the world and you in particular, it was like a gift from God" he grinned. " I figured if I could train her to act just right, and say just the right things, you would be on a one way bus trip to the Federal Prison."

"That required incredible patience on your part Boyd. You should be congratulated" said Jane, appealing to his ego now to negotiate some kind of a resolution. "And yet here we sit."

Boyd nodded, accepting the praise of a man he hated like it was due to him. Jane knew he was running out of time. The sun was getting lower by the minute and there was no sign of the CBI, or SAC PD, or even the Park Rangers coming to his rescue. He was on his own. Jane thought of his friends so very far away. He hoped Rigsby was still alive. Then his mind drifted to Lisbon's face. When he imagined her, she looked worried and sad. Her presence felt so strong to him, so real, even though he knew she was far away. Good.

 _Good_.

That meant she was safe, and that was all that mattered to him now. He didn't want her anywhere near a psychopath like Boyd.

Boyd looked at Jane and then his watch. Damn it was getting late. Best get the show on the road.

"Stand up!" he barked, waving the knife at Jane and startling him out of his thoughts of Teresa. Jane stood up slowly, not in any hurry now to accommodate his nemesis.

"So how will you do it?" Jane asked. "What are the rules?' He knew this was going to be a game, with a winner and a loser. The chances of him being the winner were very slim. He surprised himself at being able to ask his soon-to-be murderer how he was going to kill him. Such was his state of mind now.

"My Dad taught me to respect all animals for what they can do. They all have a place in nature, and as such, I have to respect them when I hunt them. You don't shoot a deer or a fox without giving it a fighting chance to make a run for it. So I will afford you the same chance. You won't get any respect mind you, but I will give you a good head start."

Boyd turned and pointed to the valley below. "You take off running and do your best to make it out of the forest. If I lose you and can't find you, you win! But when I do find you, I will bring you down like a buck in the spring." Boyd grinned like a cheshire cat just imagining that shot hitting his target.

He put his knife in the sheath on his belt and picked up his crossbow again. Jane looked around desperately, trying to see if there was a safe haven to run to and hide, but there was not much cover close by. Boyd pulled out a bolt and fitted it into the groove on the crossbow, concentrating on his task while Jane felt a shiver flow up his spine. Jane started to back away, planning to make a foolish attempt at hiding in the trees anyway.

"Don't do it Jane!" Boyd shouted at him, stopping him at once.

Boyd turned to face his captive, a confident smirk on his red, burnt face.

"Time's up shit head. It's just you and me and none of your little cop friends will ever find you." Boyd put his free hand on Jane's lapel and gave him a shake.

"I hope you're a good runner" he whispered as he suddenly turned and shoved Jane over the crest of the hill, sending him sliding downwards, slipping in the damp earth. Jane scrabbled to gain purchase in the loose dirt, his balance thrown off by the unexpected push down the hill. He flung himself forward, rolling and pitching until the land levelled off. He picked himself up and started running as fast as his smooth shoes would allow. He felt like he was a mouse who would soon be snatched up in the claws of a very large cat. There was a stand of trees 30 feet ahead and Jane ran for it, lurching left and right in a zig-zag pattern, imagining the swish of a bolt at every turn. Boyd lifted his crossbow into position as he watched Jane run, giggling to himself. He'd let Jane gain some ground, believe he had a fighting chance, then he'd let loose his bolt to reign death on his panicked prey down in the valley.

(CBI Team)

Cho and Carlson ran ahead with Van Pelt and Lisbon trying their best to keep up. Murf was running and trying to control his drone at the same time. As Cho and Carlson slowed down, the other three caught up and looked at the monitor. Jane and Boyd were very close, almost close enough to run out and touch, but the heavily armed Boyd would have the advantage over Jane, shooting him as soon as the others rushed him. As they watched, they saw the man stand up and put an a bolt into his crossbow. Oh God, this is it! Time to go! Without a word Cho and Carlson ran forward through the trees and Van Pelt headed to the left and Lisbon turned right, rushing to get into position with their guns drawn. They reached the edge of the trees hiding them, facing Boyd and Jane in the clearing. Before they could attack, they watched in horror as Boyd pushed Jane over the lip of the hill and out of sight. Murf stayed behind as he had no weapon or knowledge of how to use one. Boyd would have to be brought down by force on three sides.

(The Valley)

Jane reached the trees and skidded to a stop, trying to catch his breath. He looked up the hill and couldn't see Boyd, but he knew he was up there somewhere, watching. He couldn't go backwards as the trees ended in just a few yards, but they continued for some distance going forward. Geography dictated his actions now. He headed in that direction, pumping his legs as high as he could with his sore ribs. The bolt couldn't find him if he got far enough away, and stayed in the trees, so he had to make that happen. The trees that had looked so thick from the top of the hill now showed what they really were, thin stands of old trees more and more spaced out than he had expected. Hiding here would be very difficult. Boyd had known this of course and was just waiting for Jane to run out of cover. Jane ran forward, hoping the bolt wouldn't be able to fly this far even if he was out in the open. The trees suddenly stopped and Jane was facing a large pond. Desperately considering his options, he realized there was no way through it, he had to go around it. The left side of the pond faced into the woods but a steep cliff overhung the water, impossible to climb and providing a natural barrier to his escape in that direction. The only other way to go led right back out into the open valley. Was he far enough away now? Had he outrun the flight of a crossbow's deadly bolt? With no other options left, Jane burst out of the trees and ran for his life, not daring to slow down or look over his shoulder. The land here was marshy and pockmarked with holes left behind by rotted out tree stumps. Jane crashed and fell into one soggy hole as he made his desperate escape. Boyd saw him fall as he calmly adjusted the trajectory of the long bolt on the crossbow. He had known perfectly well that Jane would have to run back out into the open. He knew this land and it was no friend to a stranger. Jane heaved himself upright and took off running again, chest screaming in pain, wet and afraid of what was coming. Any moment now he would be out of range, over 30 yards now, surely out of the range of Boyd's vengeance.

(CBI Team)

Cho and Carlson emerged from the trees running at Boyd, yelling for him to drop the crossbow. Lisbon and Van Pelt did the same coming at him from both sides. The arrival of agents took Boyd completely by surprise and he almost did drop his crossbow as they startled him. Almost.

As Cho screamed for him to drop it and get on the ground or he would shoot, Boyd nodded his head signalling compliance without turning to look at the CBI agents. He looked as if he would cooperate with them, and yelled "OK OK, don't shoot!" but his hand was still on the aimed bow and his finger reached to depress the trigger even as Cho was racing towards him. At that exact moment a large black object dropped from the sky obscuring Boyd's view. The humming drone sideswiped his crossbow and flew into his face just as Boyd's finger pulled the trigger. As he dropped the crossbow in surprise, the bolt exploded from the string and torpedoed down down down the valley, whistling in the evening wind toward a target very far away. Across the marshy ground, Jane ran on, feeling he had gone far enough now, at least 35 or 40 yards, far enough to be in the clear, far enough to see safety with each step.

The bolt sang as it slammed into Jane and felled him in an instant.


	29. Firepower

To put you out of your misery, here is the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who took the time to write a review, I love them and appreciate them. I have several chapters to go, so the story is not done yet.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 29

Firepower

Cho fired his weapon as Boyd grabbed his gun, firing in return. His bullet hit an overhead branch right by Cho's ear, sending splinters into his eyes and for a moment he was blinded. Boyd ran wildly forward towards Cho firing again, but aimed his shot too high, hitting Carlson in the shoulder as Cho fired back, wounding Boyd in the arm. Lisbon was running with her gun outstretched yelling for him to drop his gun now! Boyd rotated his body a quarter turn and fired at her from across his body. His injured arm couldn't hold the shot and the bullet hit the ground in front of her and she kept running. As his head came around again it was to see Van Pelt just before she smashed her gun butt into his jaw and dropped him to his knees. Cho was on him in a second, knocking his gun out of his hand. As Lisbon leaped on him to cuff him Boyd fought them both, and rolled under them, twisting his body away just far enough to reach down and grab his knife. Van Pelt couldn't take a shot for fear of hitting one of her fellow agents and Carlson was picking himself up off the ground, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

Cho fought Boyd hand to hand, trying to pin him down. The tip of Boyd's knife came up and sliced into Cho's midsection halting his attack. Boyd scrambled to his feet knocking Lisbon off his back like a child. He raised his knife and took aim for Lisbon, who lay breathless on the ground. Just as his knife was about to take flight, a bullet to his leg jerked him backward, and he collapsed on the ground, dropping the knife as he fell. Van Pelt had shot him to save Lisbon. She ran towards her writhing suspect and both she and Lisbon piled on top of him, subduing him and using their two sets of handcuffs to bind him. Van Pelt stood over him with her gun pointing at his head, ready to shoot while Lisbon ran over to Cho to see how badly he had been injured. He was lying on the ground panting and holding his abdomen. It was a long deep cut straight across his gut and he would need to go to the hospital. Carlson was on the radio to his people to send EMT's for several wounded. Lisbon now turned and desperately looked down the hill into the valley below. What she saw made her heart sink to her knees.

Jane was lying like a disjointed rag doll in the wet grass, a bolt protruding from his body. A terrible cry rang through the forest, which Lisbon would later be told she had made, but she would have no memory of it. She ran forward and plunged down the hill, desperate to get to Jane. When she reached the bottom, she covered the distance to him faster than she had ever run before. She reached Jane and dropped to her knees, panting and crying and praying all at the same time. She touched his face and it still felt warm. Her fingers searched for the pulse in his neck and she found a beat, racing and irregular. She examined his body to see where the bolt had struck. At first she could not see the entry point, but when she lifted his chest, she saw that the bolt had gone clean through the fleshy part of his left arm above the elbow. The bolt was so close to the bone Lisbon couldn't tell if it had fractured it. Jane groaned and struggled to move. Lisbon carefully turned him over, avoiding touching his arm, and rested his head in her lap.

Up above, Murf was once again flying his drone. This time he sent it down into the valley to see if Jane was alive. As the drone buzzed overhead, Lisbon waved and gave the thumbs up sign that Jane was still alive. Carlson called in to the paramedics for Jane, giving his location. The clearing would be large enough for the choppers to land and pick everyone up. Lisbon stroked Jane's face as she watched for any sign of awareness. He grimaced in pain, his teeth clenched tightly together. He was suffering even though Lisbon was not sure if he was conscious. After a few minutes, Jane slowly opened his eyes and looked up into Lisbon's tear streaked dirty face. A weak smile creased his face as his burnt hand reached for her cheek. How did she get here?

"Lisbon" he whispered.

Lisbon smiled weakly as tears escaped her eyes, so relieved to see him wake up. "Hi Jane."

Jane lay in Lisbon's arms, confused and trying to piece together where he was and what was going on. Then he remembered. A wave of pain wracked his body again and he became more awake because of it.

"I got shot!" he stated in surprise. "With an bolt" he added softly. He tried to move his arm but a sharp jolt of pain made him drop it as the bolt twisted in his flesh. Lisbon looked at it in horror. It was at least 20 inches long, made of carbon and designed to kill a large animal.

"Don't move Jane! You need to stay still until the EMT's arrive, OK?"

"OK" he agreed, his eyes closing with exhaustion. His breathing betrayed his mounting pain, each breath coming out with a ragged grunt of effort.. He had no fight left in him. His colour was not good and Lisbon could see a pool of blood had soaked through his jacket sleeve and onto the ground under his body. Although the shot had not hit an organ, he'd lost a lot of blood and was shocky. His hand was turning a nasty colour and she feared he would lose the use of it if they didn't get help for him soon. His hands were so beautiful, one of his greatest gifts. They needed to be OK. She didn't dare to try to remove the bolt as it was acting like a plug now, slowing down his blood loss. Once it was gone, he would bleed profusely. She got close to him to keep him warm on the damp ground as he began to shake uncontrollably from his adrenaline crashing and shock setting in. She called for help, if anyone could hear her. She examined Jane's face and hands, surprised to see blistered burns on his fingers. That was a story he would tell when he was safe again. Please God let him be safe again. His lip was split and covered with dried blood. Someone had hit him and she felt her fury rise once again at the injustice of his treatment. His eyes were firmly closed now, a tiredness sitting so heavily on his entire body that he felt anaesthetized. His shaking continued as he continued moaning in pain with every breath. He was greatly in need of a medical intervention right this minute. Lisbon could do nothing more for him except keep him warm and secure in her arms, grateful to God for leading her to him and more importantly, keeping him alive.

Carlson clutched his bleeding shoulder and sat on a large rock, his gun at the ready in his good hand, in case Van Pelt required backup. Truth be told, he was only just hanging on himself as his shoulder began to scream at him. Boyd lay on the ground howling in frustration and pain. Curses flowed non-stop from his red and angry face. How had this happened? He had it all planned so well, and it was perfect! Carol was supposed to be killed by Jane, and Jane would be dispatched with a deadly bolt. This made perfect sense to the hunter in Boyd. What Jane never knew was that Boyd had planned on burying him far in the woods, under six feet of rich earth, never to be found again - such a mystery. The gun would be planted in Jane's car for the cops to find and surprise! The fingerprints would belong to Mr. Jane. They would search for him fruitlessly forever! So how did his brilliant plan go so horribly awry? The pain in his arm and leg was beginning to overwhelm him and the profanities Boyd had been hurling at Van Pelt were beginning to wane as his cries of pain took over. He lay back panting in agony, just wanting someone to shoot him again and get it over with, because the idea of going to prison was impossible to imagine. Prison, just like his Dad.

Murf felt helpless now, his job done. He had no medical supplies to help Cho and Carlson, and far below he could see Lisbon hovering over Patrick's outstretched body. He stood up and went to the edge of the cliff and sent his drone airborne again. Needing something to do he sent it aloft to see if the helicopters carrying medical help and police back up were nearby. His drone disappeared from view far behind them and he waited, hoping the sound of choppers would soon drown out his racing heartbeat. Cho had dragged himself into a sitting position, with his jacket stuffed into his open wound. The constant pressure on the incision had slowed his blood loss somewhat but he was feeling very ill. Van Pelt wanted to go to him and render assistance but she dared not take her eyes off Boyd. She was the only unhurt officer left to subdue him if he attacked again. As she worried about her fellow officers, a faint dub dub dub sounded somewhere above and behind her. Murf let out a whoop of joy and turned to face her and Carlson.

"The Cavalry is here!" he shouted, bringing his drone back into view. He could see three helicopters on his monitor, one from SAC PD, one from St. Marks Hospital and one from Sacramento General Hospital. As he started to relay this good news to Cho and the others, the first of the choppers burst into view. Murf stepped to the edge of the cliff and waved his arms frantically, pointing below to Jane and Lisbon. The rescuers would have to scale the small hill to get to Cho, Carlson, Van Pelt and Boyd, but for now, help was only minutes away. The choppers all hovered above the open ground below and one by one found a safe place to settle down. One stopped close to Jane's body, the other two choppers landed as close to the bottom of the hill as was safely possible. Lisbon covered Jane with her body, keeping the wind and loose branches from flying into his face. The door of the SAC PD chopper slid open and an officer in rescue gear ran over to her. A moment later she was pointing to the top of the cliff where he saw Murf frantically waving at him. He took off with 3 other officers to retrieve the wounded, Van Pelt, Murf, and Boyd. They brought backboards and rappelling gear with them.

Within minutes, a doctor and nurse appeared beside Jane, asking Lisbon questions about his injuries while she stood back to let them work on him. Another doctor and nurse ran over to the base of the hill, ready to work on Cho, Carlson and Boyd as they were brought down. The work was fast and well choreographed. Cho and Carlson were strapped onto rescue boards and brought down the hill first where they were given a once over by the doctor. Then the police went up again and secured Boyd on a rescue board, tightly bound so he could not possibly try to escape. Van Pelt was able to run down the hill followed by Murf. Grace jogged over to Lisbon and put her comforting arms around her. Lisbon sat on the wet ground watching the medics work to stabilize Jane. The bolt stuck out of his arm and had to be handled very gently to prevent further damage. Finally they had him secured on a stretcher and he was taken to the chopper. Cho was brought to the same chopper and once he was secured onboard, Van Pelt left and Lisbon jumped into the chopper and it immediately took off for St. Marks. Jane was hooked up to an IV and was being tended to by a doctor and nurse. His colour was pale and he never opened his eyes. As long as his chest rose and fell, Lisbon was overcome with relief that he had not been killed like a wild animal. She turned and looked at Cho, who was still conscious but in pain and out of it. He was also being given something via an IV and was finally beginning to rest a bit more comfortably.

"You did good work Cho" smiled Lisbon, so relieved that she had not lost anyone on her team. Cho nodded and closed his eyes, the adrenaline rush over and exhaustion taking its' place. Lisbon hoped Carlson would be alright. He was evacuated in the chopper from Sacramento General Hospital, along with Van Pelt and Boyd. An officer from the SAC PD also sat with Van Pelt to keep an eye on Boyd. They would be met by a security team at the hospital once Boyd landed. He was not going anywhere, ever again.


	30. Waiting

I have 4 more chapters to go after this one, so the end is near. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this story. It was great fun to write it and read your comments!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 30

Waiting

The ride to St. Marks was mercifully speedy, and soon Jane and Cho were being rushed into examination rooms. Lisbon got on the phone and called Bertram to inform him of the events of the day. His shock was evident in his response, but he covered it well, ever the professional asshole.

The next person she had to call was Anita Johansson. She was completely unaware of the events of the day. Lisbon found a quiet room and placed the call. Anita saw the caller I.D. and picked up the phone eagerly.

"Agent Lisbon! Have you found Carol? I heard on the TV that the man who took her was out on bail. How can this be true? Why?" she began, not giving Lisbon a chance to deliver her terrible news about Carol's murder.

Lisbon explained as briefly as she could that Jane was innocent and all charges had been dropped. Then she had to tell Miss Johansson the news that no parent ever wanted to hear. Her daughter was dead at the hands of her boyfriend. The wailing on the other end of the line was gut wrenching. Lisbon always felt horrible being the bearer of this heartbreaking news but it was part of her job. She stayed on the line until she was assured that Anita Johansson would contact her son Jim and he would come over and take care of her. Then she rang off, emotionally drained by this terrible day.

As soon as the chopper landed at Sacramento General, Van Pelt turned Boyd's detention over to the SAC PD and she raced over to St. Marks. After some checking, she found Lisbon sitting with Rigsby. He had been treated, received stitches in his head and was allowed to recuperate at home from a mild concussion. He would be off work for a short while. Grace gave him a warm hearted embrace and sat with her boss to wait for news on Cho and Jane. Teresa nursed a large cup of coffee to steady her nerves. As they waited a maintenance man armed with a large toolbox entered Jane's room, leaving the CBI agents concerned for his safety. Lisbon got up and peeked in the door, daring to break some rules if need be.

"Yes? You shouldn't be in here Ma'am" said a nurse close to the door.

"I'm Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon, this is my man you're treating. Is everything alright?" Lisbon asked, looking into the room. What she saw left her speechless. The doctor was holding a big wrench against the tip end of the bolt. While two nurses and the maintenance man held the arrow tight, he twisted the razor sharp tip off the carbon bolt. Jane was mercifully unconscious, covered by a sheet to keep any debris off his wound and didn't feel much pain at this point. The carbon arrow was impossible to pull out, as the three vaned broadhead arrow tip would snag on the tissue in the arm and shred it completely. So, the tip had to be unscrewed carefully with the right tool and pulled off the bolt. The bolt could then be pulled out with minimal extra damage to Jane's arm. The whole process turned Lisbon's stomach and she retreated once again to sit and wait with Rigsby and Grace. Eventually the door opened and the maintenance man strolled off down the hall, unfazed by the doctor's request for his tools. Shortly thereafter, a nurse propped open the door and Jane's gurney appeared, his arm swathed in bandages and his eyes closed. Lisbon and her team swarmed the gurney demanding a report. The doctor assured them Jane would be alright, but he needed to be taken to x-ray to determine if the bone in his arm had been shattered by the bolt, and to see what other injuries he had sustained. After that, he would go directly to surgery. Lisbon gave Jane's limp hand a little squeeze and then stepped out of the way, not wanting to delay his care any longer. He soon disappeared down the hall with his medical team by his side. Lisbon still needed to know how Cho was.

The door to the room next door opened a few minutes later and Cho emerged on a gurney, flanked by his doctor and nurse. Lisbon once again approached and introduced herself. The doctor told the team that Cho had a large laceration across his abdomen that would require surgery to close. No internal organs had been cut but the incision by the hunting knife was deep and dangerous. He too then disappeared down the hall on his way to the OR. Lisbon looked at her decimated team and sank down on her chair, unsure how her department would carry on without Rigsby, Cho and Jane. The next few weeks were going to be very difficult.

"Any word on Carlson?" Lisbon asked Grace.

"Not that I know of. Let me call and find out for you" said Van Pelt, wanting to decrease the stress her boss was no doubt feeling right about now. She got up and placed a call to Chief Burney at the SAC PD. He answered from the waiting room over at Sacramento General.

Van Pelt had a long and fruitful conversation with Burney, getting a good impression of him over the phone. When she returned she had a smile on her face.

"I spoke to Captain Burney and he said Carlson was in surgery to have the bullet removed. He's going to be fine, in time. Boyd is also in surgery and may lose his leg. He's not going anywhere but prison once he is well" she added.

"Thanks Grace" said Lisbon, overcome with fatigue. Running through the woods up a mountain was not easy, even though she and her team were in top physical condition. No wonder Jane was too exhausted to speak. Since it would be quite some time until both Cho and Jane were out of surgery and awake, the three agents left the waiting room and found a diner close by to recharge their batteries over Mexican food and a couple of beers.

"Ah, shouldn't we be getting back to the office Boss?" asked Rigsby with concern.

"Nope" answered Lisbon. "Firstly, you are now on medical leave, and I do not want to see you at work for at least a week, and then only if you are cleared by the CBI doctor to return to active duty Rigsby" she smiled. "Let Bertram find some agents from another department to look after things until we get back, whenever that is" she continued. Screw Bertram. If this whole episode inconvenienced him, too bad. She could have lost her whole team today because of his ineptitude and absence from the office just when she had needed him most.

She sat back and raised her beer up for a toast to Cho and Jane. Everyone at the table joined her then toasted Carlson and his team for sending in the helicopters when they were needed. Whatever problems Carlson would face with his own boss now, he had redeemed himself as much as he could by helping them exonerate Jane and then rescue him from the hands of his enemy. How Burney would punish Carlson for the behaviour of Hannigan, and for the tazering of Jane was out Lisbon's hands, but she wished him well. She knew that from now on if one of his officers dared to pull that crap with any other prisoner Carlson and Burney would see him demoted or fired.

The CBI team finished their food and drinks and made their way back to the hospital for an update on their agents.

Cho was out of surgery first, as he mostly needed extensive suturing. He was in recovery and would soon be in a private room. Jane was still in surgery, raising some concerns with Lisbon and the others, but his health had been compromised even before his trek through the forest. Lisbon, Van Pelt and Rigsby made their way up to the OR waiting room and found some old magazines to occupy their minds until the surgeon came to find them. Forty minutes later the double doors opened and a tall greying man came through wearing scrubs.

"Family for Patrick Jane" he asked the people assembled in the waiting room. The whole group from the CBI stood up and approached him.

"Family?" he asked, seeing that no one looked even remotely like Jane.

"Yes, that's us, how is he?" Lisbon asked anxiously.

The surgeon sat down and so did the 3 agents, all leaning in to catch every word.

"Mr. Jane sustained a serious wound to his upper arm from a crossbow arrow. The tip did a lot of internal damage to his soft tissues, muscles and some nerves. The humerus was nicked but not shattered. He was very fortunate that his radial nerve was not severed. Considering the severity of the injury, we expect he will make a full recovery and will have the full use of his hand and arm eventually. We also found that one of his ribs is broken and another cracked. The cracked rib looks like it happened a week or so ago, but the broken rib is a fresh break. We couldn't set it but it will heal on its' own with extensive rest. Mr. Jane will need physical therapy on his arm but he should count himself very lucky to have escaped much more serious injuries considering the size of the arrow head. That could have killed a moose. He is dehydrated and will be in a lot of pain when he regains consciousness. We will do everything we can to make him comfortable."

Lisbon listened intently and was so grateful that Jane had not lost his arm or become partially paralyzed.

The surgeon continued. "Mr. Jane will be out of surgery in the next 20 minutes then will go to recovery. It's late, and he won't be waking up today, so I suggest you all just go home and get some rest. I understand all of you are CBI agents and Mr. Jane is one of your team?" he said, knowing full well they weren't family.

Lisbon blushed but affirmed that Jane was working with the CBI. After thanking the surgeon, they got up and found their way to the elevators.

(Sacramento General Hospital)

Carlson was resting comfortably in his room later that night, chock full of painkillers and a sedative. When he woke up in the morning he would not be so happy, but for now, he was floating on a wave of bliss.

Boyd had a long and extensive surgery. The bullet was removed from his arm and that injury would heal very well in a short time. The bullet to his leg had severed a major blood vessel and caused irreparable damage. The surgeon tried to save the leg, but ultimately had to make the difficult decision to amputate his leg mid thigh. Boyd's life in prison would be especially daunting. He was still unconscious, but when he was well enough he would be officially arrested and charged with first degree murder in the death of Carol Johansson, the kidnapping and forcible confinement of Jane, and the attempted first degree murder of Jane. Additional charges would also be brought for engineering the false charges against Jane, and the attempted murder of Cho and Carlson, Van Pelt and Lisbon. The case was as open and shut as it could possibly be. One for the textbooks.

Lisbon, Rigsby and Van Pelt left St. Marks, each relieved that no one died, but sad that the team would be scattered and hurting for quite a long time in the foreseeable future. Arriving home after a short drive, Lisbon dropped her keys in the tray by the front door and headed for the kitchen. A glass of wine helped her to unwind enough to finally shower and then head to bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day. She would have innumerable reports to write concerning what had transpired today. Tonight, Lisbon needed to put it all behind her and get some sleep. Which she did in record time, for once.


	31. Setting the Record Straight

Ok, another new chapter for you. Only a few more to go.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 31

Setting the Record Straight

(CBI - Morning)

Lisbon was in the office early to get started on her paperwork the next morning. Van Pelt came in soon after. The two of them were alone in the big, empty space. Grace looked at the empty desks belonging to Rigsby and Cho. Other Agents came and went, but when she was alone, it felt ominous. Her gloomy thoughts occupied her mind until she felt a tap on her shoulder. Lisbon was standing behind her with a coffee and a bear claw in her hand for Grace.

"Join me for some guilt-free carbs and sugar?" asked Lisbon, indicating her office.

"Thanks Boss, I could use some of that!" Van Pelt said, taking the treats and following Lisbon. The intimacy of the smaller office and there being just the two of them sitting on Lisbon's sofa felt odd to Grace, but she was glad to be with the woman she respected more than anyone else.

"How's Rigsby?" asked Lisbon, settling down next to Van Pelt.

'He's OK. Got a terrible headache, but other than that, I think his conscience took a worse hit" said Van Pelt with a sad smile. "He says it's his fault Boyd took Jane."

Lisbon could argue that Rigs should not have been using his phone while guarding Jane, but that would do no one any good now. A lecture from her would be bad, but he would be even harder on himself in the long run. So she would go easy.

"Rigsby shouldn't blame himself for anything that happened at Jane's house. He could easily have been killed himself" said Lisbon. Grace nodded in agreement, her affection for her tall partner so evident to anyone who cared to notice.

'That's what I keep telling him Boss, but he feels like he could have done something more" she said sadly.

"Tell him to stop that. It's an order. From me" smiled Lisbon, knowing full well that her conscientious agent would assume all blame. The two women sat for another ten minutes discussing the horrendous events of the previous day, then headed back to their desks to really start their day. This time they both felt better.

At noon, Lisbon shoved the last of her most pressing reports into the 'out' box on her desk and stretched. Time for a quick lunch and then over to the hospital to visit her men. Van Pelt quickly finished off her lunch and grabbed her purse. Bertram had been conspicuously absent from the hospital considering he could have lost two of his best employees.

" I'll come with you if you don't mind" said Grace, happy to finally see her teammates.

Thirty minutes later Van Pelt and Lisbon arrived in the foyer of St. Marks and headed upstairs together. Flashing their badges gained them access to Cho even though it was not yet visiting hours. Cho was in a private room and was propped up slightly on his pillows, looking pale and in pain, but alive and recovering. Lisbon tapped on his door and peeked in. Cho nodded at her and she and Van Pelt came in, relieved to see him awake and moving somewhat.

'How are you Kimball?" asked Lisbon, concerned for her best Agent.

"OK I guess. A little groggy."

"Can I get you anything Cho?" asked Van Pelt, always so motherly.

"Would you call my mother? She needs to know I'm OK" he said with a touch of emotion in his otherwise stoic demeanour.

"Of course, leave that to me" said Lisbon, who had to make those difficult calls for her staff.

"How are you feeling? Are you in much pain?" asked Lisbon, not used to seeing Cho in any condition other than robust and pumped up with strength.

Cho grimaced as he adjusted his position in the bed, betraying his attempt to look better than he felt.

"I feel like I've been sliced and diced actually. I can't believe Boyd managed to cut me open while we were fighting" he said with regret.

"You couldn't know he had a knife hidden on him. You had to do whatever it took to bring him down Cho" said Teresa, determined that Cho not blame himself for any perceived failure on his part.

Cho nodded in partial agreement. He would have to think about what his boss had said. "We got to him, that's what counts. And we all survived" he smiled. He had a lot of questions about his fellow teammates, and how Jane was doing, but right now he was fading fast. His hand went up to hide a yawn, eliciting another sharp pain in his mid-section. Lisbon and Grace discreetly noticed his poor condition and decided to continue their conversation when he was stronger and more alert.

"We should go and let you rest Cho" said Van Pelt, seeing him stifle the yawn. Cho was groggy from his pain meds and probably wouldn't stay awake for much longer. Lisbon and Van Pelt said their goodbyes and Cho lay back, exhausted from his short visit. Getting stabbed sure took the wind out of your sails he thought to himself. Hoping to take a small nap, he closed his eyes and hoped for the best in the noisy hospital. He fell asleep within minutes.

Lisbon and Van Pelt asked for Patrick Jane and were directed to his floor. He was back on the same nursing floor where he had been previously. When the doors to the elevator slid open the first person Lisbon saw was nurse Miri. Upon seeing Agent Lisbon, Miri came over and grasped her hand.

"Oh Agent Lisbon, I'm so sorry about what happened to Mr. Jane! He is such a nice man and to think he was kidnapped and almost killed…" she began, before regaining her composure.

Lisbon took Miri's hand and thanked her for her concern. "I want you to know the charges against Mr. Jane were completely false. He was arrested in error and should never have been taken by those prison guards!" said Lisbon as the memory of it hit her again.

"I had a hard time believing what everyone was saying" said Miri. "Now I can tell them they were wrong and they shouldn't be afraid of Mr. Jane."

"The nurses are afraid of Jane? But he's the victim here!" said Grace with indignation.

"That's what I told them, but some of the young ones were scared when they saw him in handcuffs and being guarded the first time he was a patient here. They had never dealt with a criminal before" explained Miri.

"Mr. Jane is the victim here, not the criminal. Please impress that upon your staff!" said Lisbon with anger in her voice. "If I suspect Mr. Jane is not getting the care he deserves based on presumptions of his being dangerous, I will have him removed to another hospital. He deserves the best treatment possible. Do I need to speak to your staff and explain what happened to him?" Lisbon ranted, clearly angered by this information.

Miri looked embarrassed by the foolish gossip her staff had engaged in. Maybe a lecture by a Senior Agent from the CBI would be the perfect punishment her nurses would have to endure to smarten them up.

"Do it! I'll arrange a quick meeting in the staff room and I want you to scare the hell out of them Agent Lisbon!" grinned Miri.

Lisbon smiled at this opportunity. Time to teach some young men and women how to treat a patient no matter what he had done, or in this case, what he had not done.

"About Mr. Jane, can we go in and see him for just a moment?"

Miri turned around and indicated that they should follow her.

"Please keep it short. He is very weak and tired. The pain killers will make him very sleepy, so don't hope for much in the way of conversation" she informed them.

Van Pelt walked in with Lisbon and stood at the end of the bed, just needing to see Jane with her own two eyes. He was resting with his eyes closed with oxygen going in his nose via a nasal cannula. His face sported fresh bruises and his chest was heavily taped to support his broken and cracked ribs. His arm was heavily wrapped in many layers of white gauze. There was an IV in his hand and the bed rails were up to prevent him from falling out of the bed. Just seeing him alive and resting was all she needed.

"I'll let you spend a minute alone with Jane" said Van Pelt graciously, knowing that Lisbon and Jane had a special, complicated bond.

"Thanks Grace, I'll be right out" smiled Lisbon.

Van Pelt left quietly and Lisbon stood close to Jane's bed. She reached down and held his free, uninjured hand, noting the gauze bandages on each of his fingers. As she picked up his hand he stirred, turning his head towards her instinctively.

"Jane? Can you hear me?" she asked gently, not wanting to startle him.

Jane tried to rouse himself and moved his lips just the tiniest bit, then opened his eyes to just a slit, a huge accomplishment considering the heavy sedation weighing his eyelids down.

"Hi" Lisbon said softly.

Jane nodded his head, saying 'hi' in his mind but not quite managing to say the word out loud. His eyes closed again. His mind was in a very odd place. He knew Lisbon was near, but not that he was injured or in a hospital bed. In his mind, he was safely ensconced on his sofa in the bullpen. He tried to stretch out and was jolted out of his comfortable haze by a lightening bolt of pain in his chest and arm. What the hell? Why was he hurting? The bullpen was so quiet. He looked up at Lisbon again as the wave of pain passed and he took in her concerned face. She had seen him recoil in pain as he moved ever so slightly.

"Relax Jane, don't try to move, just stay still and sleep" she told him kindly. Jane was foggily surprised that she was not kicking the sofa and telling him to get up and go to work, but since she was OK with him sleeping, that's just what he would do. 'Sleep….great idea sleep… should work but a nap on the sofa was just what he needed. Nap now on the sofa… Lisbon will be mad… must get up… sofa is so comfy…'

He was fading fast and kept his eyes closed as the sedation induced state of lethargy carried him away. Lisbon called his name but she was so far away now, in another room, or maybe in another city… he couldn't hear her anymore.

And he was out.

Lisbon slipped silently out of Jane's room. Next up, a meeting with the nursing staff.

(St. Marks Hospital - Afternoon)

Jane was still sleepy but was a bit more lucid later in the day. The bed didn't feel like his sofa anymore, which caused him some confusion. When he finally managed to open his eyes, he looked around the room and had the slow realization that he was back in the hospital. Uh...Why? Jane closed his eyes and tried to put the puzzle pieces together about his last few days. He raised his hand to run it through his crumpled hair when a sharp jagged pain surged through his bandaged arm. The shock of it made him suck in his breath and gaze down at his throbbing limb. He was surprised to see it swaddled in a large white dressing. He looked at his fingers, all individually wrapped in gauze, trying to make sense of it. Then he remembered.

Boyd.

Jane's heart rate picked up as he remembered his death march through the woods outside of Sacramento. He was alive! Did Boyd actually shoot him with his crossbow? How could he survive that? Where was Boyd now? Questions raced through Jane's mind and he had no way of guessing at the answers. The monitor on his chest signalled his distress at the nurse's station and when his accelerated heart rate set off an alert, his door burst open and several nurses ran to his bed. Jane looked at them in alarm! Was he that sick?

A nurse checked his heart and respirations while another took his temperature. All was acceptable, he was just panicking.

"Calm down Mr. Jane. You're going to be just fine" said the one nearest to his pillow as she adjusted it for him.

"What happened?" he managed to ask, overwhelmed by everything at the moment.

"You got shot with a crossbow arrow Mr. Jane. You've had surgery and will need physical therapy, but you're going to be fine in time. You also have a broken rib, so lay back and relax. Try not to move too much and you will be more comfortable" said Miri, who had arrived to see what the problem was. Jane saw her face and remembered her from his previous stay. Somehow it comforted him.

"When?" he asked in shorthand.

"You were found yesterday by your team at the CBI. Those people did everything they could to find you. They can tell you the rest of the details when you're well enough, but for now, you need to sleep" she said with authority.

Jane digested this bit of information and it was enough, for now. Lisbon had found him. Did she find Boyd? His head began to spin with fatigue and the painkillers that his nurse just added to his IV solution. As he slipped into sleep again, the face of his beautiful rescuer was the last thing he saw in his mind before all faded to black.


	32. Awakenings

Here you go, another one!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 32

Awakenings

Cho was awake in the afternoon when his nurse came in to check on him. He vaguely remembered seeing Lisbon. When was that? Today? Yesterday? He hated that the drugs he was on messed with his mind. The young lady taking care of him smiled kindly and checked his temperature and pulse while he silently watched her. She was lovely, now that he took the time to notice. She leaned forward and pulled down his bedsheet, causing him some concern.

"I'm just going to check your dressing Mr. Cho" she said before she inspected the long padded bandage that encircled his abdomen. When she pressed down a bit of tape that had come loose on one corner, he hissed out a breath of pain at her touch. He suddenly felt nauseous at the idea of someone fiddling with his stitches.

"Don't worry, I'm all done. How are you feeling this afternoon?" the nurse asked. Cho noted her name: Claire

"Lousy. Someone stabbed me" he said, typically to the point. What had happened to the morning?

Claire laughed a bit at his cynical but concise response.

"You have every right to feel lousy, but we'll do our best to make you as comfortable as possible." Claire lifted up the call button and placed it in Cho's hand.

"If you need anything, just press this button and I'll come to help you, OK?" she told him with a smile. He liked her smile.

"OK" he agreed. Claire left and he lay still, thinking about what he could remember of the last 24 hours. He was sure they had arrested Boyd. Boyd had been shot. They had hoped to save Jane, but what had happened to him? Jane was… dead? Cho couldn't remember what was a dream and what was reality. He felt sure Lisbon had been in to see him, but was it this morning? Did she come last night and tell him Boyd had killed Jane? His anguish at that possibility suddenly made him feel overcome with sadness. After all they had done to try to find Jane in time, to save him, was it all for nothing? Cho needed answers but there was no one to ask. Spying the phone on the small table next to his bed, he gamely tried to reach for it, but with his stitches still so fresh in his wounds, the sudden movement sent shards of pain up his body, leaving beads of sweat on his forehead. Dammit! What had happened? Cho was foolishly considering trying to get up when his hand bumped into his call button. Claire could help!

Grasping the red button, Cho depressed it and waited to see if his nurse would appear as she had promised. Two minutes later she came in looking concerned for him.

"What's wrong Mr. Cho? Are you in feeling sick?" she asked, checking his IV line.

"No, but I need you to help me make a call to my Boss at the CBI. Can you do that for me?" he asked, showing a vulnerability he rarely displayed.

"Only if you keep it short and don't get worked up about your job, promise?" she teased him. She found him very handsome and was quite pleased to be assigned to his room. Cho gave her the number and she placed the call to Lisbon's cell phone. With concern, Lisbon saw the hospital's name show up on call display and answered on the second ring.

"Hello, Agent Lisbon."

Claire introduced herself and said Mr. Cho needed to talk to her, and to please keep it short.  
When Lisbon agreed, she settled down in her chair to speak to her most trusted agent. Claire handed over the phone and discreetly left the room.

"Hi Boss" he began.

"Hi Cho, how are you feeling now?" she answered, so glad he seemed a bit brighter than this morning.

"Considering it looks like I just had a caesarean section, not too bad I guess" he quipped, gazing at his swaddled mid-section.

"What can I do for you Kimball?"

Cho took a deep breath, and asked the question that he hoped would not make his world crash.

"Boss, I don't know what happened up there on the mountain. After Jane fell and we fought with Boyd… I… don't remember what happened. I was wondering about Jane…. Is he…"

"Kimball, we got to him in time. He's alive and in the same hospital as you. Boyd shot him with his crossbow and hit his upper arm. The damage is extensive, but he will get better."

Cho exhaled and relaxed against his pillow. "And everyone else? After we took Boyd down, things get hazy for me" he said.

"I'm not surprised. You were hurt pretty badly and not really awake by the time the choppers arrived. Rigsby is fine, just a concussion, Van Pelt and I are fine, Boyd will never walk again, and Carlson is recovering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder" she reminded him.

Cho could see it all now, the fight on the hilltop and Van Pelt shooting Boyd to save Lisbon. Yes, it all came rushing back now. But he had never had a chance to see Lisbon run down the hill and find Jane. By then he was in rough shape and not moving much. So, it had all ended out there in the woods. Boyd's grand scheme for retribution came to nothing but tragedy for himself and death for Carol. Some days the horrors of human behaviour were hard for Cho to understand.

"Cho, are you still awake?" Lisbon asked, wondering if he had drifted off to sleep again.

"Uh, yup, sorry Boss. Just remembering more now. Were you here earlier today? I can't be sure whether I imagined that or not" he said sheepishly.

Lisbon laughed softly into the phone and told him about her visit with Grace and their visit with Jane. Claire came back in the room and gave Cho a slight scowl. Time to hang up and rest.

"Looks like my nurse wants me to hang up Boss, sorry. Come and see me later?" he asked, knowing he would be bored silly by evening.

"Sure thing, and I'll bring your book from your desk with me Kimball. Take care!" she said before she rang off.

Claire took the phone from Cho and placed it back on the base. She checked him once more for pain management and then left him to rest. Cho was more relaxed now that he knew his team was safe and well taken care of. He was sure he would not be able to sleep now since he was so wide awake. He was wrong.

Five minutes later he drifted off to sleep again.

(CBI Afternoon)

Lisbon was back at work trying to catch up when Bertram strolled into her office. Lisbon was so disgusted with him that she did not afford him the courtesy of looking up when he sat down in front of her desk. He stared at her for a moment, waiting to be acknowledged, but gave up when she continued to write a report. His hand rested on her desk casually until it brushed against a pile of paperclips she had thrown there to use as needed. The burns on the side of his hand sent his hand flying off her desk and into his lap for safety. Lisbon secretly smirked and finally looked up at his discomforted face. So he was acting weird, like she had heard.

"Director Bertram. Are you OK?" she asked, seeing his hands wringing together. He still couldn't touch the damned paperclips everyone insisted on using, but he ignored her question and leaned back to have a little chat.

"I just thought I'd drop by and see how Jane is doing. I assume you've been over to the hospital to see him, and Cho as well?" he asked.

Lisbon glared at him, angry that he hadn't taken the time to go over and see his employees for himself.

"They're waking up slowly Sir, but they're badly injured. Being shot and stabbed will do that to you. But you would know that if you've been over to see them yourself" she jabbed.

Bertram noted her sarcasm but chose to let it go. The Serious Crimes Unit was so short staffed now he couldn't afford to lose anyone else right now due to insubordination.

"All in good time Agent. I'll go over when my schedule allows." He swivelled around in the chair and stared out into the bullpen, noting two empty desks and the body normally reclining on the sofa now absent. It was unnaturally quiet. Lisbon studied him and decided she wanted him to leave.

"We need to get more agents in to help with the workflow. Would you be amenable to me bringing in two agents from the fraud and drug squad? Just until we have Cho and Rigsby back to work?" he smiled, blatantly not caring how Lisbon felt about his personnel choices.

"That would be appreciated Sir" she agreed, just wanting the man to go. She would do just fine until Cho and Rigs returned, unless they caught a really big case.

"Excellent!" Bertram said, standing up to signal his visit was over. Lisbon handed him a pile of reports he had been waiting for, each one employing far more paperclips than she would normally use, just to piss him off. Bertram eyed them warily and would make sure his secretary handled the files first to disarm them before he could touch them. Damned things…

"Keep me informed as to Cho and Jane's condition Agent" he said breezily as he stepped out of her office and disappeared down the hall. Lisbon sat back, staring at his empty chair. He didn't give a damn about her or her staff, just his own career advancement. Sick and injured agents just slowed down his closed case rates, and that affected his political career. God what an ass!

(Sacramento General Hospital)

Carlson had regained consciousness and was resting comfortably in his bed when Captain Burney dropped by. Burney was a fair man and Carlson felt they could continue to work together if Burney did not make his life too difficult after the Steve Hannigan and Boyd McLean fiascos.

"Mind if I visit for a while?" asked the Captain. Carlson waved him in with his good arm. Burney sat down and immediately felt awkward. He hated hospitals and visiting in them even more. Casting his eyes on Carlson's large bandage across his chest and shoulder, he could only imagine how much pain his detective must be in.

"How are you Bob?" he asked.

"All things considered, I'm OK Boss" he replied, meaning every word. Boyd could easily have killed him with his stray shot.

"What exactly happened out there? I heard you got a request from the CBI for a helicopter and then you were out there on the mountain with them hunting for Boyd and Jane. Why?" he asked reasonably.

"Jane was kidnapped by Boyd when Boyd found out Jane was free. He went nuts and killed Carol Johansson and planned to pin the murder rap on Jane. It was all payback for his Dad's death in prison years ago. Boyd blamed Jane for arresting Asher McLean for statutory rape of girls in his care."

"Is that why he framed Jane in the first place, to put Jane in prison like his Dad on a similar charge?" asked Burney.

"Yes, that, and he was hoping someone would eventually kill Jane in prison so he would die just like his Dad did. He thought it was a fair eye for an eye deal. When he found out Jane was out on bail, which the CBI fabricated to lure him out, he went for the bait but planned to kill Jane himself out in the woods where he used to hunt with his father" Carlson explained.

"But why our helicopter? CBI has their own resources."

Carlson laughed at that. "Agent Lisbon couldn't find Director Bertram to sign off on the use of their chopper so she called me. I went along for backup. Glad I did. Mr. Jane deserved to get the help he needed."

Burney liked what he was hearing. Whatever crap Carlson had pulled at the beginning of this mess had certainly been swept clean by the turn-around in his attitude. That was a good thing, because if he had not, he would have been fired. As for the bullies who tazed and kneed Jane, they were facing re-assignment in the traffic division for 6 months. Burney would tell Carlson the good news regarding his job later, when he was ready to consider coming back to work.

"How's Boyd?" asked Carlson, not sure how badly hurt he was after surgery.

"I checked on my way in. He lost his leg and his arm will heal. After consulting with Agent Lisbon we will file a list of charges against him. But he will never get out of prison. Never."

The charges would be a jurisdictional crap storm. Whose collar would it be? Did Carlson make the arrest or the agents from the CBI? Agents from both police stations worked on finding evidence proving Jane had been framed. Carlson would normally yell and scream to get the credit for the bust, but now, he really didn't care. This whole sad affair had changed him. He just wanted the bad guys incarcerated and the good guys to get well and live long healthy lives. Maybe the agents at the CBI would consider him one of the good guys now. And truth be told, they had earned the credit for taking down Boyd McLean.

Burney and Carlson visited for a while longer before an officious nurse kicked Captain Burney out. Carlson lay back and felt happy for Jane. He might be injured and facing a long recuperation, but he had emerged victorious, his name and reputation unsullied by the evil machinations of Boyd McLean.


	33. Remembering

Thank you to all of my faithful reviewers. You are one smart bunch! Just a couple of chapters left.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 33

Remembering

(St. Marks Hospital, Day 3 Post Surgery)

Jane was awake when his breakfast tray was brought into his room. This was the first day he was really fully awake. His sedation had been weaned off overnight and now he was able to tell the staff just how much pain he was in. It was a lot. Any movement of his arm sent jagged splinters of pain through the long humerus bone in his upper arm. The soft tissue inside his arm and the muscles wrapping his bone were torn and swollen, held together by a multitude of stitches. A weak cup of tea sat on his tray along with a sad looking breakfast of cold and unappetizing cereal, a fruit cup and a cookie. This seemed like the same dreck he had had to endure when he was a patient here not so long ago. Taking the tea and cookie, he shoved the rest away to indicate his displeasure. While he was nibbling on the cookie, Lisbon knocked on his door. At his signal to enter, she came in carrying several packages, smiling broadly at seeing him fully awake. Just in case he could finally eat real food, she had brought fresh blueberry muffins and a thermos full of wonderful tea. She also brought tea bags, so Jane could persuade a nurse to brew him a cup of tea whenever he needed one. The joy on his face was selfie-worthy! He was genuinely glad to see his friend.

"Good morning Jane!" she chirped, so happy to see him alert and sitting up with his arm resting on two pillows.

"Morning Lisbon" he smiled back.

Teresa came in and placed her goodies on Jane's bed table and checked him out.

"How are you feeling?"

Jane surveyed his chest wrappings and his immobile arm with a mixture of feelings. Annoyed that he was once again in a dreaded hospital, he was also thrilled to be alive.

"Could've been worse I guess."

Lisbon shook her head in agreement. "Could have be very much worse. Can you move your arm?"

Jane had avoided any attempts to lift his arm, so the question was a good one.

"Ah… no, not yet. Hurts" he admitted. He flexed his forearm but immediately regretted it as pain once again shot up his arm and into his shoulder. As his face collapsed into a grimace, Lisbon stepped forward and put her hand on his to stop him from moving any more.

"It's OK Jane, don't move it. You have to let the damage heal. Everything inside is pretty torn up."

Beads of sweat appeared on his face as the wave of pain dissipated. This was going to be a long and tedious recovery. Lisbon had to distract him from the gloomy thoughts she knew he would soon be indulging in.

"Back in a dress again?" she smirked, taking in his hospital gown. He immediately switched gears, glad to change the subject.

"It's my new look, don't be jealous" he replied, tugging it down strategically.

"I suppose your pajamas will be needed again?" Lisbon asked, rattling a bag holding his favourite navy blue pj's.

"That would make getting out of bed less of a burlesque show, yes" he agreed, gratefully taking the clothing out of the proffered paper bag.

"I'd pay to see that actually" she smiled lasciviously.

Jane set his blue pajamas aside and took a bite of his muffin, leering at her in response. "Just say the word Lisbon and I will give you a special preview."

"You wish!" she snorted back, taking a muffin for herself. Their standard conversational give and take returned, making them both more comfortable now. They ate their muffins and sipped their tea and coffee in silence for a while. Sharing breakfast in the hospital was getting to be a regular occurrence Jane thought ruefully. When the food was gone, Lisbon took the wrappers and disposed of them, cleaning away the crumbs and then sat down again beside the bed.

"So. Here I am again" Jane began, sipping his tea and watching Lisbon over the edge of his thermos.

"Yup, here you are again" she echoed him. She was going to let him take the lead and talk about whatever he wanted to deal with.

"I have a lot of questions" he said simply.

Lisbon knew this was coming. He couldn't possibly know the full extent of the search and rescue operation that had taken place high in the mountains outside of Sacramento.

"Rigsby is Ok? And Cho?" he asked again, to be sure.

"Yes, they're both going to be fine. Cho was stabbed by Boyd when we were trying to disarm him on the hilltop. He's just one floor below you. His stab wound is large but not too serious. I'm sorry he isn't able to come and visit with you just yet" she informed him.

"Tell him I said 'hi' and to be nice to the nurses" suggested Jane. "I'm sorry he got hurt" he finished, looking saddened that his friend was suffering because of him.

"He's on the mend Jane. Don't worry."

Jane tried to adjust his position in the bed and his ribs let him know that was a terrible idea. The grimace across his face worried Lisbon but he waved his hand to tell her to ignore it.

"My ribs are going to hurt for a while yet, so best get used to seeing me squirm every now and then Lisbon, OK?" he told her.

"If you say so. But if you start to feel worse I'm calling for a nurse" she warned him.

Jane ignored her worry and continued his questions.

"When I was out in the woods with Boyd, I thought I was totally alone. I tried to slow him down as much as possible so I could find a way to escape, but there wasn't anywhere to run to. Then he pushed me down the hill and shot me. How did you get there with backup? How did you even know where to look for me?" he asked.

Lisbon explained to him about Murf seeing the kidnapping on his monitor and the wild chase down the highway and out of town leading to the hills. Jane raised his eyebrows when he learned that Lisbon had had to call Carlson for help with a helicopter when Bertram was nowhere to be found. Jane filed that bit of information away for reference another time.

"Once we were on the mountain we knew Boyd would head for Bright Arch Camp. If we lost him after that we would be in real danger of not finding you in time. Murf sent his drone up and tried to keep an eye on you whenever you and Boyd hit a clearing."

This news surprised Jane, to think that he was being watched while he trudged through the woods. So Murf had been brought along to help the agents track and rescue him. He had no idea so many people were running behind him in the forest, keeping pace and hoping to rescue him. He had never really been alone out there after all. As that thought registered in his mind, Jane was overcome with a feeling of… how could he describe it? Love... affection...respect? His feelings for his CBI family, who had done everything in their power to save him, hit him hard. They truly were his family now. Lisbon watched Jane digest this information and then saw a questioning look on his face. Boyd had boasted that he was a crack shot with a crossbow, but he hadn't killed Jane, only winged him. Was he just a lousy hunter after all?

"What? What are you thinking Jane?"

Looking at Lisbon, he smiled and just shook his head, his foolish ramblings getting the best of him.

"I was just wondering why Boyd's shot didn't kill me. I saw him kill a rabbit with his crossbow, and I figured he wouldn't miss me. "

Lisbon could guess what was going on in his mind. He could so easily have been killed by that bolt, except for one man's actions.

"Jane, you have Murf to thank for your life. Just as Boyd was about to shoot you, Murf dropped his drone onto his crossbow and the shot went wild. It's amazing that you only got hit in the arm. We owe Murf a huge debt of gratitude and I plan on making our thanks official. Since he was instrumental in saving your life Jane, I'm going to put his name in for a citizen's award from the CBI. I know we have an award for bravery and service to the police" she said happily.

"I actually think he would love it Lisbon. Be prepared for him to show up in a bathing suit and flip flops, but he would show up!" said Jane.

"I'll speak to Bertram about it and get that in motion. Anything else you want to know?"

Jane relaxed a bit more now that the whole picture of that horrible day was emerging.

"When did you take Boyd down?"

"We saw him putting an arrow in his crossbow and knew you couldn't run to safety anywhere up there on the hill. When he pushed you down the hill we rushed him from three sides and tried to take him down. Boyd got shot in the arm and then he shot Carlson. Then he attacked Cho, me and Van Pelt. That's when Cho got stabbed. Boyd was going to shoot me but Van Pelt shot him in the leg and we jumped him. Once we had him in handcuffs, I ran down the hill and found you."

Jane nodded his head thoughtfully then looked at Lisbon. "I'm sorry you had to see that Lisbon, it must have frightened you."

Teresa saw that scene flash through her mind and felt the same horror at finding Jane's still body sprawled on the ground.

"I...I thought you were dead" she admitted.

Jane took another sip of his tea and let Lisbon's honest remark sink in. He hated that Lisbon had to be the one to find him like that and that she had been so close to being killed herself by Boyd.

"I don't have any memory of you finding me" he said quietly, reaching for her hand. Lisbon felt a rush of heat flood through her body at Jane's touch. The intimacy of their conversation, and Jane's rare display of his true, vulnerable self, shook her to the core. She shifted on her chair and ran a free hand through her hair to distract herself from feeling his touch so intensely.

"You were in a lot of pain and in shock Jane, so I'm not surprised. Carlson radioed for helicopters and we were all picked up and brought back to the city. Boyd and Carlson went to Sacramento General and you and Cho came here with me. It was a long night. I'm so grateful we found you in time."

Jane nodded, deep in thought, seeing the minutes atop the hill play out as Boyd prepared his crossbow to kill him. An involuntary shiver went up Jane's spine as he relived that moment. The desperate run across the wet ground, the belief he was finally out of range, and the slam of the bolt into his body, it all came back to him in vivid detail. Lisbon studied him as he sat remembering. She realized his nightmare on the mountain would stay with him for a long time, added to his other obsession, Red John. At least these memories would fade with time as everyone had survived, all but Carol. As she thought of that poor girl, Lisbon had to ask Jane what made Boyd kill her.

"Jane. Can you tell me what happened in the kitchen, when Carol died? What made Boyd do it?"

Sighing at the memory of her death, Jane took back his hand and ran it through his messy curls.

"I think she just ran out of time. She really was of no more use to Boyd. He wanted to kill me and Carol became a useful prop. He wasn't going to drag her all over the mountain with me, so it must have made sense to him to kill her in my house and frame me for it. He planned to put my fingerprints on the gun for the police to find."

He looked at Lisbon as she listened to his recounting of that tense standoff in his kitchen. She looked tired he noted. So much for going home and getting enough rest.

He continued. "His plan was that I would be dead and buried somewhere and wouldn't be able to refute the fingerprint evidence on the gun. Boyd wanted to run deeper and deeper into the bush and disappear. But he didn't figure on Murf and his drone" he smiled slightly. If not for that crazy dude, Jane realized he could well be dead right now.

"Did Carol ever find out about her Dad and what he really was like?" asked Lisbon.

"Yes. Carol was ranting at one point and I told her about how her father messed up at the CBI and at SAC PD. She didn't want to believe me but the bruises on my face were proof that he was the one who beat me up."

"Hard for her to hear no doubt…"

"No doubt. I told her I forgave her father for beating me. That was even harder for her to believe" Jane said softly. Lisbon studied his face and saw something raw, peeled back and exposed in his expression.

"Let me guess… it was all about a father's love" Lisbon suggested.

Jane leaned back carefully, wincing at the stress it put on his broken rib. "I told her that Hannigan did what any father would do to the monster who hurt his little girl. It's what I will do… when…"

Jane looked down at his hands, the thought hanging in the air heavily, not needing to be finished. Lisbon took his hand in hers and wanted to wrap him up completely in her arms, knowing exactly where Jane's memories were going. Taking a deep breath he looked up and smiled sadly at Teresa. His mood was entirely too black.

"Carol did come to understand that her father loved her no matter what, no matter how badly he had screwed up his marriage and his family life. I think it made her happy."

"She needed to know the truth Jane. I'm glad you told her before Boyd killed her."

"Yeah, well, she was just another person slowing him down in the end" Jane suggested.

Jane put down his empty thermos and moved his injured arm slightly, struggling with the effort. He was able to flex his fingers, so at least he would still be able pick pockets and locks once he was well again.

"What happened to your fingers Jane? And Boyd's face? He looked like a lobster when we found him!" Lisbon wondered.

"That was my completely futile attempt to get the gun away from him in my kitchen. The kettle boiled and I threw the water on him. Some landed on me too. Almost got the gun, but there were two against one, so that didn't go as well as I would have liked."

"Good for you for even trying" encouraged Lisbon. Jane had certainly tried time and time again to free himself from his captors.

Lisbon stayed for a while longer then had to leave when the nurse caring for Jane arrived and asked her to leave. Glancing back at Jane she saw the fatigue and frustration on his face as he answered the nurse's routine questions and let her examine his dressing. The sooner he got out of the hospital, the better. Then the real healing would take place.

(Sacramento General Hospital, Day 3 Post Surgery)

In the morning Boyd awoke to the full realization of the extent of his injuries. Seeing only one leg under the sheets, Boyd started to scream at the top of his lungs, frightening other patients and requiring sedation to calm him down. Each time he surfaced from his groggy state, he had to deal with his amputation all over again. His resentment and anger was directed at the very people who were trying to help him. Boyd heaped abuse on his nurses, cursing at them non-stop, a steady string of profanities that finally required the intervention of his police guards. Boyd still had the use of one arm and one leg, both of which he used to kick and slap anyone who dared approach him. In the end he had to be restrained completely. A handcuff held his uninjured arm down by his side so he could not attack any nurse who tried to administer care or medication. A large strap held his torso down on the bed to stop his attempts to kick at every opportunity. When that didn't work, his free leg had to be tied down too. He went wild, thrashing and pulling against his restraints, injuring himself with each burst of aggression. He was the most dangerous patient the staff had ever had to deal with considering his weakened condition. When he was finally shipped off to Harriston State Prison, the medical staff heaved a large sigh of relief.

The wound in his arm throbbed where the bullet had torn through his flesh and muscles. Like Jane, he would need physical therapy while in the hospital. Sadly, he lashed out at the man who tried to show him how to exercise his arm. When Boyd continued to be uncooperative, the therapy at the hospital had to be stopped. Once he was transferred to the State Prison, his physio would not be as meticulously carried out and would end sooner than needed. All in all his recovery would largely depend on his own resourcefulness. His stump was raw and sending shockwaves of pain up his leg, a steady thrumming of agony that his meds were trying to handle. Boyd's howls of pain and anger could be heard all the way down the hall. The sooner he was dispatched to the prison hospital, the safer the staff would be.

(St. Marks Hospital, Afternoon)

By early afternoon Jane was encouraged to get up out of bed and make his way to his chair overlooking the city. While he was tired of laying down, he was not convinced that he should get out of bed yet. After some cajoling, he attempted to follow Nurse Miri's instructions to get up and get moving. The effort to swing his legs over the edge of the bed while dealing with his broken rib and useless arm was exhausting. He needed to hold onto his nurses for balance and stability. Now he really felt like an old man. At least he had his pajamas on again, and not that revealing gown. Once he was comfortably settled in the chair and covered with a blanket, he gazed out of the window and was soon engaged in watching the city below him go through its' busy day. While the effort to get out of bed was a challenge, he was actually glad to be out of bed and fully upright for a change. When he started to fall asleep sitting there, it was time for his nurses to help him back to bed for a rest. Soon after, he was asleep under his sheets. Recovery was an exhausting business.


	34. Jane's Revenge

This is it, the final chapter. Thank you everyone, regulars and guests alike for your wonderful comments and reviews. They are the lifeblood of a writer! Here is the last chapter. I am already thinking about my next story, so give me a bit of time to get that going. Enjoy!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 34

Jane's Revenge

The next day mid-morning, Bertram finally deigned to come around to visit Jane. It was a very odd confrontation. A knock on the door alerted Jane to his visitor. Bertram poked his head in and Jane granted him entry.

"How's the arm Patrick?" asked Bertram, going through the motions of caring about his consultant's welfare.

Jane looked down at his bandaged arm and painfully moved it a fraction of an inch. "Oh my bum wing is on the mend. Good thing Murf's drone knocked Boyd's aim off at the last minute" he smiled. He could play nice.

"Good to hear it. Now, I want you to take as long as you need to recover completely Jane. No rushing back to the office before you're ready" Bertram admonished Jane like a dear friend. His attempts at being decent were highly amusing. Now Jane would have some fun with him. Jane had had a long time to think about how to give Gale Bertram some payback for his callous treatment of him and the other CBI staff members. He could be punitive, and cause Bertram some actual, physical harm, or he could be annoying, and bother Bertram for the next while. Maybe a bit of both would suffice.

"I'm glad you mentioned my recovery Gale. I was planning on going to the beach. Sun and the waves are just what I need. Swimming might be good therapy, don't you think?" Jane grinned broadly, not intending to return to work until he was good and ready.

'If you say so…" agreed Bertram cautiously.

'I do say so. And I think after all the extra work Lisbon has had to do with her diminished team, I expect a week off at the beach is just what she needs too Gale" Jane suggested, sure it would happen. Whether Lisbon wanted it was a minor detail to be ironed out later. Every time Jane used Bertram's first name, he saw the man flinch. Which is exactly why he always did it.

"Well I don't know about that Jane. We're pretty busy back at the office, I may not be able to sign off on that request" Bertram said, not wanting to grant such a big request for Jane's benefit.

"I have faith in you Gale" Jane beamed brightly. "I know you can make it happen."

Jane picked up a silver spoon that was sitting on his table top by the bed. "Have you ever watched the waves come in and go out at the beach Gale?" he asked soothingly. He made a show of twisting the spoon back and forth, moving it around as he talked to Bertram about the benefits of being near the water. He described watching waves, how they crept up onto the shore in a seemingly random pattern, only to rush out to the ocean again and again. Up and down, back and forth, the spoon sailed through the air as Jane made swooshing noises like waves The waves crashed in and out he said, in and out, lifting and falling, foam spilling into foam and creating new waves. Patrick droned on, waving his spoon around in the sunlight, lulling Bertram into a light trance. God that man was so susceptible to hypnosis. After all, most of Bertram's personality was based on bluster but not deep thought. Like taking candy from a baby.

Now Jane took his time planting his suggestions in Bertram's mind, all to the benefit of one Patrick Jane. By the time Patrick was done with him, Bertram had granted both Jane and Lisbon a week off when he was feeling well enough to go, wherever they wanted to go. Throwing in a guest house to recuperate in once he was released from the hospital was a last minute request that Jane decided to make, having Bertram pony up for the expense. Bertram would wonder weeks later why he had thought to put Jane up in such a nice place instead of letting him go back to his grotty motel. Jane would let Bertram tell Lisbon of his generous plans. While Bertram was still hypnotized, Jane planted another suggestion in the mind of the man across from him. Again he would hit him where it would hurt, his wallet.

Bertram was a well-known lover of poker. Lisbon sometimes was invited to join in the games he played with senators, judges and D.A.'s. Gale Bertram liked to think he was a smart player, and indeed, he often won a nice pot of money. That kept him happy, and that made life around the CBI better for everyone. But maybe Jane could tweak what he did with his winnings just a bit. The subject of poker was introduced and Jane told Bertram to donate the money from every second winning game to the youth facility that would soon be anonymously donated to the city by Jane. One winning pot of money for Bertram, one winning pot for the kids of Sacramento. And Bertram had to keep it secret. Jane did not want any glory or accolades to be bestowed on Bertram. As for the money, why should that jerk keep all of the winnings when homeless kids needed it more?

One more idea occurred to Jane while Bertram sat dreamily in front of him. The suggestion that paperclips would burn his hands had served its' purpose by now, making Bertram look ridiculous to everyone around him. Time to have a bit more fun. Jane lifted the paperclip fear and replaced it by an abhorrence for elevator buttons. Bertram would not be able to punch the down or up button to get on the elevator by himself. Once he was on the elevator, any elevator, he couldn't touch the button indicating the floor he wanted. He would burn his fingers if he dared to try. Either get help and look like fool, or take the stairs everywhere he went. The gossipy whispering would soon begin behind Bertram's back! By the time Jane roused Bertram from his trance, he felt like he had spent a very refreshing morning visiting a dear friend. As he waved goodbye to Jane, Bertram got on his phone to organize a poker game as soon as possible. Jane watched the man who so richly deserved his contempt leave with a contented sigh. Bertram's happiness would soon end when he tried to take an elevator down to the lobby of the hospital!

Jane decided that it had been a very good visit with his contemptible boss. He was going to recuperate in a nice place, he and Lisbon were going to the beach, the kids of Sacramento were going to benefit from the influx of money donated by a secret benefactor, and Bertram was going to be zapped whenever he touched elevator buttons. Beautiful!

Carlson was allowed to go home after 3 days in the hospital, facing a few weeks of rest before he returned to the SAC PD. When he did it was with the knowledge that his job was still waiting for him, due to Burney's good graces.

Cho stayed in St. Marks Hospital for 4 days, then went home to heal as well. What he had not planned on was the after-care he received from one very pretty nurse. Claire had grown very fond of him while he was her patient, and was bold enough to offer to come around and check on him every day either before or after work. Cho soon began to look forward to her visits, and by the time his stitches were removed, she was with him for the procedure and looking forward to their first official date. The ribbing he got from Rigsby was well worth it just to be with the lovely Claire. After a month, his incision was totally healed and he was given the green light to return to work.

Each day Jane felt a bit stronger, and when he could get out of bed by himself two days later, he felt he had reached a milestone. Van Pelt and Rigsby came to visit, as had Cho when he was able to be brought up to his room in a wheelchair. Lisbon came every morning with his breakfast and again after work to fill him in on the latest cases. She even left a few case files with him to occupy his brain so boredom didn't lead to complaining to the staff. It seemed to do the trick.

One afternoon a few days after his surgery, a heavy knock on Jane's door signalled the arrival of someone new. The door slid open a crack and a shaggy mop of sun-bleached hair appeared.

"You alive Dude?" asked Murf tenuously.

"See for yourself Murf!" beamed Jane, so happy to see his lanky friend. "I thought you went back to work?"

"I did man, but I had to come back and check up on you Bud" smiled Murf, standing uneasily at Jane's bedside. Jane indicated the chair and Murf sank down, slouching into a comfortable heap, his resulting form slightly resembling a shag rug.

"So how's the wing Dude? Got shot huh?" Murf stated the obvious.

"I don't recommend it. Hurts like a bitch" Jane admitted, letting down his guard. Murf looked at the bandages on Jane's arm and around his chest uncomfortably, not sure just what to say now that he was here. Jane let him off the hook.

"Murf, I'm glad you came. I need to thank you for saving my life" Jane began. Murf looked surprised and cut him off.

"No way Dude, it's my fault you got taken in the first place! If I had run over to the house faster that Boyd dude wouldn't have taken you. I should have stopped him!" Murf said guiltily. He blamed himself for Jane's kidnapping!

Jane was surprised Murf could be so misguided. "Murf, Boyd had a gun. He had already killed a girl in my kitchen. If you had tried to stop him I know he would have killed you too."

Murf looked at Jane in shock, this was a new idea to digest.

"You saved me Murf by calling Cho and sending up your drone. Without you thinking so clearly, no one would have known where to find me. You're a hero Dude!" Jane smiled. Being around Murf, you tended to talk like him after a while.

Murf blushed and looked at the floor, embarrassed and proud at the same time. Looking up at Jane suddenly, he burst into a wide smile and reached over to give Jane a bear hug.

"Ahhh! Don't!" Jane squeaked as the pressure on his chest and arm sent waves of pain through his body.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" blubbered Murf, backing away with alarm. "Sorry Dude! Got a little emotional for a minute."

Jane composed himself and waited for the pain to subside. "Just warn me before you hug me again OK?"

Murf turned pink. "Totally."

The visit continued on a much more relaxed note now, with Murf promising to return and teach Jane and the whole CBI team how to fly a drone when they were all well again. He would also have to spend time in Sacramento when Boyd stood trial some months in the future, so he would have plenty of time to visit with his new friends.

A new person entered Jane's life on day 4 post-surgery, when a physical therapist came to see him. A young man so impossibly fit that he looked like he should have been on someone's Olympic team came in with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes. Much to Jane's horror, he told Jane that it was time to get his damaged arm moving. The muscles would tighten up rapidly if his arm was not used, so the very painful exercises began. Although the first session was only ten minutes long, Jane was sweating with effort and discomfort by the time his therapist Mark left. Mark returned later that day to do it all over again, and so it continued twice a day every day until Jane had to admit that his arm did feel better and moved with less pain. Tiny steps.

Finally the day came a few days later when Lisbon picked him up from the hospital to take him home, his arm resting in sleek black sling. Trust Jane to make a sling look sexy. Dressed comfortably in his dress pants and his white and blue striped linen shirt, Jane looked elegant but casual, as usual. Instead of driving Jane to the dreary motel where he really only slept, she pulled up to a lovely guest house, set back off the road and surrounded by lush gardens and umbrella covered patios. Jane's smile broadened as he realized this was where he was going to be staying for the next little while. Bertram had done well! He feigned shock and surprise at Bertram's uncharacteristic generosity. Teresa was muttering to Jane about the way Bertram had told her about doing this, and how odd it seemed. Jane dared not give away the role he played in this whole charade or else Lisbon would have been all over him with her righteous indignation. Once settled into his second floor bedroom, he joined Lisbon out on the patio for a drink in the shade, the scent of roses adding to his pleasure. His arm ached from the trip over, but he was finally out in the world again. Jane had weeks of therapy ahead of him yet, and would return to work only as long as he just consulted and rested on his sofa. That he could do. In the meantime, he had a lovely house to ramble around in for a week, stuffed full of new books to devour, and the companionship of the lovely Teresa Lisbon whenever she dropped by, sometimes with Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt as well. All of it was at the expense of the Gale Bertram. The physical therapist visited him every day, working on his arm and making him move it in ever increasingly large circles. By the time Jane was ready to go to the beach a month later, he was able to face the waves without fear of being bowled over.

On a sunny day three weeks after he was almost killed by a bolt from a crossbow, Jane rejoined his team at the CBI. With a cup of tea in hand, he lovingly sat on his leather sofa and smiled deeply. Good had prevailed over evil. Hannigan would be in prison for two years for his vicious attack on Jane and would face an uphill battle to find work once he got out. Boyd found himself the target of the other able bodied prisoners once he was out of the prison infirmary. Every single moment of every day from now on he would have to watch his back if he wanted to survive. But wasn't that what he boasted he did best? Survive?

Lisbon joined Jane on the sofa and smiled at him. He had a magazine in his hands and was immersed in reading reviews for beach houses for rent.

"Going somewhere? You just got back to work" she stated.

"Yes and no. Yes, I'm going to the beach next week with you, and no I'm not going anywhere this week except here and Maries. Also with you."

Lisbon stared at him in disbelief. What did he just say?

"Back up… what about me going to the beach? 'Cause I'm not you know…" she smirked. The very idea was absurd.

"The beach, as in sun, sand and surf. And yes, you are going because Bertram gave me a week off to exercise my arm in the waves, and you are coming because you never took your full vacation for the last three years. Use it or lose it Lisbon. And I'm paying, so relax!"

"But… but I can't!" she blubbered, too stunned to speak.

"You can and you will. Cho is well again and perfectly capable of taking care of things, like he always does, when you are sick or on holiday. So relax and buy a new bathing suit" he grinned at her.

'Oh God' Lisbon thought, 'he's serious! And so is Bertram! And that means Jane will see me in a bathing suit!' Jane saw the conflict in Lisbon's eyes and laughed. He took her hand and patted it.

"I think emerald green would suit your eyes, but if you want to go for polka dots I won't stop you" he suggested with a leer.

"Stop!" she barked, smacking his arm, which made him yelp in surprise.

"You hurt me Lisbon!" he said with a false declaration of injury.

"I'll do worse Jane. You're kidding, right?"

Jane just grinned at her like it was a 'fait accompli'. Lisbon leaned over and saw that the magazine listed several very nice looking properties on the water. "Oooh that looks nice…" she admitted, pointing to one glossy photo. Jane laughed with her and they both studied the listings, making sure the rental came with two bedrooms.

A week later, after Lisbon got used to the idea, she met Jane at the beach house he had moved into. She came a day after he got there and would leave a day before he did to make sure tongues didn't wag back at work. She needn't have bothered. Everyone knew how she felt about Jane. Both returned to work tanned and refreshed. The trials Jane had suffered at the hands of Boyd and Carol were starting to lose their hold on him as he got busy at work once more. Soon his physical therapy sessions would end and he would be back to full health. Once he knew he could swing a hammer again, he made plans to start renovations on his old house. Lisbon was still the only person who knew what his plans were for the house once it was done. She had kept his secret. What she didn't do was keep his plans to work on the house a secret one bright sunny fall day. Jane arrived at the house on that Saturday morning armed with the essentials: his tool kit, work gloves, steel toed shoes, work clothes, and a fresh supply of tea. He knew what it took to work well. What he didn't plan on was the arrival an hour later of Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt and Lisbon, all dressed for construction and armed with their supplies for the day: beer and donuts.

Jane was inside hammering when he saw the gang walk in, grinning and wearing matching hard hats labelled CBI. They handed one to Jane and asked where to begin. Jane was overcome with gratitude that they would do this for him, even if they thought the house was just for himself. By the time they stopped for donuts and a drink, he relented and told them of the real purpose for the house. He was rewarded with back slaps of encouragement for doing such a wonderful thing. Then he swore them to secrecy as well. And so it went, Jane working whenever he had time to slip away from the office, sometimes working alone, sometimes with extra help from his team mates. By Christmas the house was ready for the city to assume the reins of running it. The first kids moved in over the Christmas holidays, for once not spending the most special day of the year on the mean cold streets of Sacramento.

The city was able to furnish and outfit the house with the generous donations from various charities as well as a few steady incoming anonymous donations. Bertram was still playing poker and winning, but only half of his money ever reached his pockets. Jane was OK with that.

EPILOGUE

Murf stayed in contact with the whole team and visited often when he came to see his mother. On one very special day later that autumn, he stood proudly in the CBI boardroom, dressed resplendently in a black t-shirt, flip flops and long khaki pants with his mother seated beside Teresa and Patrick to witness her brave son be honoured. Director Bertram gave a wonderful speech, always his main strength, and after much fanfare, handed Murf a citation for service to the community in the rescue and safe return of one Patrick Jane. Murf's mother wasn't quite sure what it was all about, but she was thrilled to be out with him at a very special event. After many handshakes and congratulations, he took his mother back to her nursing home and then went out for drinks with his CBI buddies. When he got home he resolved to hang his award in his car, where he spent most of his time between work and the beach. He remained one very cool dude.

Boyd stayed in the hospital long enough for his leg wound to heal over and then was escorted under guard to the prison hospital. He stayed at the Harriston Federal Prison until his trial 4 months later. By then he was walking using two crutches. Jane, and everybody else at the CBI who had been part of the kidnapping and rescue in the woods, was called to testify. Murf showed up too and his video of Boyd and Carol breaking into Jane's house to plant evidence was irrefutable proof of Jane's innocence and their guilt. Forensic evidence was damning, all proving what Boyd had done to Jane and Carol too. Her dying words, as well as Jane's eye witness testimony regarding Carol's shooting, convicted Boyd of her first degree murder. All of the other charges were levelled, and when the jury returned their verdict, Boyd was found guilty on all counts. He would die in prison.

Like father, like son.

The End.


End file.
